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By  Right  of  Sword 


I  raised  my  sword  and  struck  him  with  the  flat  side  of  it  across  the  face. 

— Frontispiece,  Pagt  42. 


By  Right  of  Sword 

By    ARTHUR    W.    MARCHMONT 

Author  <?/"A  DASH  FOR  A  THRONE" 
ILLUSTRATIONS     BY     POWELL     CHASE 


GROSSET    &     DUNLAP 
PUBLISHERS:     NEW     YORK 


Copyright,  ,897 

BY 

ARTHUR  W.  MARCHMONf 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  FACE 

I.  THE  MEETING,     ......1 

II.  I  AM  A  NIHILIST,       ......      ia 

III.  MY  SECONDS,       .......      23 

IV.  THE  DUEL, 33 

V.  GETTING  DEEPER, 48 

VI.  A  LEGACY  OF  LOVE, 61 

VII.  A  LESSON  IN  NIHILISM 78 

VIII.  THE  RIVERSIDE  MEETING, 92 

IX.  DEVINSKY  AGAIN, 99 

X.  "THAT  BUTCHER,  DURESQ,"       ,        .       .       .  in 

XI.  DANGER  PROM  A  FRESH  SOURCE,       .        .        .120 

XII.  CHRISTIAN  TUESKI, 132 

XIII.  OLGA  IN  A  NEW  LIGHT, 142 

XIV.  THE  DEED  WHICH  RANG  THROUGH  RUSSIA,   .  152 
XV.  A  SHE  DEVIL 166 

XVI.  THE  NEXT  NIHILIST  PLOT,        .        .       .       .177 

XVII.  AN  EXTRAORDINARY  ADVENTURE,      .        .        .186 

XVIII.  THE  REASON  OF  THE  INTRIGUE,         ...     195 

XIX.  OLGA'S  ABDUCTION,     ......    203 

XX.  THE  RESCUE,        .        .        .        .        .        .        .    214 

XXI.  THREE  TO  ONE, 227 

XXII.  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  END 235 

XXIII.  CHECKMATE! 249 

XXIV.  CRISIS, 258 

XXV.  COILS  THAT  No  MAN  COULD  BREAK,        .        .    270 

XXVI.  MY  DECISION, 282 

XXVII.  THE  FOUR  ALDER  TREES 290 

XXVIII.  THE  ATTACK  ON  THE  CZAR 303 

XXIX.  THE  TRUTH  OUT  AT  LAST,        ....  310 

XXX.  AFTERWARDS 323 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


1  Raised  My  Sword  and  Struck  Him  with  the  Flat 

Side  of  it  across  the  Face,  .  .  .  Frontispiece. 
"  I  know  that  You  are  My  Brother,  Alexis,"  ...  4 
A  Swinging  Cut  Maae  Another  Drop  His  Knife  with  a 

Great  Cry  of  Pain, 87 

"Here,  Strike, "I  Cried 96 

"Alexis,  Did  You  Bring  That  Proposal  to  Me  Deliber- 
ately? " 109 

"Take  Another  Two  Grains,  Mouse,"       ,       .       .       .191 

I  Darted  Forward  into  the  Doorway 208 

I  Tore  It  from  Him, 305 


BY  RIGHT  OF   SWORD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   MEETING. 

Moscow. 
"Mv  DEAR  RUPERT. 

"  Don't  worry  your  head  about  me.  I  shall  be  all 
right.  I  did  not  see  you  before  leaving  because  of 
the  scene  with  your  sister  and  Cargill,  which  they 
may  perhaps  tell  you  about.  I  have  done  with  Eng- 
land :  and  as  the  auspices  are  all  for  war,  I  mean  t* 
have  a  shy  in.  I  went  to  Vienna,  thinking  to  offer 
myself  to  the  Turks  :  but  my  sixteen  years  in  Russia 
have  made  too  much  of  a  Russ  of  me  to  let  me  toler- 
ate those  lazy  cruel  beggars.  So  I  turned  this  way. 
I'm  going  on  to  St.  Petersburg  to-day,  for  I  find  all 
the  people  I  knew  here  as  a  lad  have  gone  north.  I 
have  made  such  a  mess  of  things  that  I  shall  never 
set  foot  in  England  again.  If  Russia  will  have  me, 
I  shall  volunteer,  and  I  hope  with  all  my  soul  that  a 
Turkish  bullet  will  find  its  billet  in  my  body.  It 
shan't  be  my  fault  if  it  doesn't.  If  I  hadn't  been 
afraid  of  being  thought  afraid,  I'd  have  taken  a 
shorter  way  half  a  score  of  times.  My  life  is  an  in- 
expressible burden,  and  I  only  wish  to  God  someone 
would  think  it  worth  while  to  take  it.  I  don't  want 


2  By  Right  of  Sword 

to  be  hard  on  your  sister,  but  whatever  was  left  in 
my  heart  or  life,  she  has  emptied,  and  I  only  wish 
she'd  ended  it  at  the  same  time.  You'll  know  I'm 
pretty  bad  when  not  even  the  thought  of  our  old 
friendship  gives  me  a  moment's  pleasure.  Good-bye. 
Don't  come  out  after  me.  You  won't  find  me  if  you 
do. 

Your  friend, 
HAMYLTON  TREGETHNER." 

The  letter  was  wretchedly  inconsequential.  When 
I  sat  down  to  write  I  hadn't  meant  to  tell  Rupert 
Balestier  that  his  sister's  treatment  had  made  such  a 
mess  of  things  for  me ;  but  my  pen  ran  away  with 
me  as  it  always  does,  and  I  wasn't  inclined  to  write 
the  letter  all  over  again.  I  hate  letter  writing.  I 
was  to  leave  Moscow,  moreover,  in  an  hour  or  two, 
and  when  I  had  had  my  things  sent  to  the  railway 
station  and  followed  them,  I  dropped  the  letter  into 
the  box  without  altering  a  word. 

It  had  made  me  thoughtful,  however;  and  I  stood 
on  the  platform  looking  moodily  about  me,  wonder- 
ing whether  I  should  find  the  end  I  wished  most 
speedily  by  joining  the  army  or  the  Nihilists;  and 
which  course  would  bring  me  the  most  exciting  and 
quickest  death. 

I  had  three  or  four  hours  to  wait  before  my  train 
left,  and  I  walked  up  and  down  the  platform  trying 
to  force  myself  to  feel  an  interest  in  what  was  going 
on  about  me. 

Presently  I  noticed  that  I  was  the  object  of  the 
close  vigilance  of  a  small  group  of  soldiers  such  as 
will  generally  be  seen  hanging  about  the  big  stations 
«i  Russia.  They  looked  at  me  very  intently;  I 
«>oticed  them  whisper  one  to  another  evidently  about 


The  Meeting  3 

me;  and  as  I  passed  they  drew  themselves  up  to 
attention  and  saluted  me.  I  returned  the  salute, 
amused  at  their  mistake,  and  entered  one  of  the  large 
waiting  saloons. 

It  was  empty  save  for  one  occupant,  who  was 
standing  by  the  big  stove  looking  out  of  a  window 
near.  This  was  a  girl,  and  a  glimpse  I  caught  of  her 
face  shewed  me  she  was  pretty,  while  her  attitude 
seemed  to  suggest  grief. 

As  I  entered  and  went  to  another  part  of  the  room, 
she  started  and  glanced  at  me  and  then  looked  away. 
A  few  seconds  later,  however,  she  looked  round  fur- 
tively, and  then  to  my  abundant  surprise,  came  across 
and  said  in  a  low,  confidential  tone : 

"  It  is  not  enough,  Alexis.  I  knew  you  in  a  min- 
ute. But  you  acted  the  stranger  to  perfection." 

She  was  not  only  pretty,  but  very  pretty,  I  thought, 
as  she  stood  with  her  face  raised  toward  mine,  a  light 
of  some  kind  of  emotion  shining  in  her  eyes  where  I 
saw  traces  of  tears.  But  my  recent  experiences  of 
Edith  Balestier  had  toughened  me  a  lot,  and  I  was 
suspicious  of  this  young  woman. 

"  Pardon  me,  Madam,  you  have  made  a  mistake." 

Then  she  smiled,  rather  sadly ;  and  her  teeth  shone 
salt  white  between  her  full  curved  lips. 

"  Your  voice  would  betray  you,  even  if  your  dear 
handsome  eyes  did  not.  Do  you  think  the  mere 
shaving  of  your  beard  and  moustache  can  hide  your 
eyes.  Just  look  into  mine  and  see  if  the  shade  is 
not  exact  ? " 

I  did  look  into  them :  and  very  beautiful  eyes  hers 
were.  Little  shining  blue  heavens  all  radiant  with 
the  light  of  infinite  capacity  to  feel.  Fascinating 
eyes,  very.  But  I  had  not  lived  the  first  sixteen 
years  of  my  life  in  Russia  without  getting  to  know 


4  By  Right  of  Sword 

that  in  that  big  land  all  is  not  snow  that  looks  white ; 
and  that  a  very  awkward  intrigue  may  lurk  beneath 
a  very  fair  seeming  surface. 

"  Madam,  I  am  charmed,  but  I  have  not  the  honour 
of  knowing  you." 

A  passing  cloud  of  irritation  shewed  and  a  little 
gesture  of  impatience,  sufficient  to  remind  me  that 
the  gloved  hands  were  very  small. 

"  Ah,  why  keep  this  up  now  ?  There  is  no  need, 
and  no  time.  Is  not  the  train  starting  in  less  than 
an  hour — and  by  the  way,  what  madness  is  it  that 
makes  you  loiter  about  here  in  this  public  way,  out 
of  uniform  and  as  if  there  were  no  danger  and  you 
were  merely  taking  a  week's  holiday,  instead  of  fly- 
ing for  ...  ." 

"  Madam,"  I  broke  in  again.  "  I  must  repeat,  I 
am  a  stranger.  You  must  not  tell  me  these  things. 
My  name  is  Hamylton  Tregethner,  an  Englishman, 
and  .  .  .  ." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  you  are :  or  at  least  I  know  you 
are  going  to  call  yourself  English,  though  you  haven't 
told  me  what  your  name  is  to  be.  But  I  know  that 
you  are  my  brother  Alexis,  going  to  leave  me  per- 
haps for  ever,  and  that  when  I  want  to  scold  you  for 
running  this  risk — for  you  know  there  are  police, 
and  soldiers,  and  spies  in  plenty  to  identify  you — 
you  .  .  .  ."  here  she  made  as  if  to  throw  herself 
into  my  arms.  But  suspecting  some  trick,  I  stepped 
back. 

"  Madam,  I  must  ask  you  to  be  good  enough  not 
to  play  this  comedy  any  farther."  I  spoke  rather 
sternly. 

"  If  your  disguise  were  only  as  good  as  your  act- 
ing, Alexis,  not  a  soul  in  Russia  would  suspect  you. 
Oh,  I  see  what  you  mean,"  she  cried,  a  look  of  in- 


"  I  know  that  you  are  my  brother,  Alexis." 


—Page  4. 


The  Meeting  5 

telligence  breaking  over  her  features.  "  I  forgot. 
Of  course,  I  am  compromising  your  disguise  by  thus 
speaking  to  you.  I  am  sorry.  It  was  my  love  for 
you  made  me  thoughtless,  when  I  should  have  been 
thoughtful.  I  will  go  away."  She  turned  on  me 
such  a  look  of  genuine  grief  that  it  melted  my 
scepticism. 

"There  is  really  some  strange  mistake,"  I  said, 
speaking  much  more  gently.  "At  first  I  thought 
you  were  intentionally  mistaking  me  for  someone 
else;  for  what  object  I  knew  not.  But  I  see  now 
the  error  was  involuntary.  I  give  you  my  honour, 
Madam,  that  you  are  under  a  complete  mistake  if 
you  take  me  for  any  relative  of  your  own.  I  am  an 
Englishman,  as  I  say,  and  I  arrived  in  Moscow  only 
last  night,  and  am  leaving  for  St.  Petersburg  by  the 
next  express  train.  I  am  afraid,  if  you  persist  in 
your  mistake,  it  may  have  unpleasant  consequences 
for  you.  Hence  my  plain  speech.  But  I  am  what 
I  say." 

As  I  finished,  I  raised  my  hat  and  stood  that  she 
might  convince  herself  of  her  blunder. 

She  looked  at  me  with  the  most  careful  scrutiny, 
even  walking  round  to  get  a  view  of  my  figure. 
Then  she  came  back  and  looked  into  my  face  again ; 
and  I  could  see  that  she  was  still  unconvinced. 

"It  is  impossible,"  she  said,  under  her  breath. 
"  If  I  allow  for  the  difference  your  beard  and  mous- 
tache would  make,  you  are  my  brother." 

"  I  am  Hamylton  Tregethner,"  I  said,  and  I  took 
out  my  pocket-book  and  shewed  her  my  passport  to 
Paris,  Vienna,  Moscow,  "  and  travelling  on  the  Con- 
tinent." 

"These  things  can  be  bought — or  made,"  she  said. 
Then  she  seemed  to  understand  how  she  had  con> 


6  By  Right  of  Sword 

mitted  herself  with  me,  if  I  were  really  a  stranger, 
and  I  saw  her  look  at  me  with  fear,  doubt,  and 
speculation  on  her  pretty  expressive  face. 

She  sighed  and  lifted  her  hands  as  if  in  half  despair. 

"  Madam,  you  have  my  word  as  an  Englishman 
that  not  a  syllable  of  what  you  have  said  shall  pass 
my  lips."  The  bright  glance  of  gratitude  she  threw 
me  inspired  me  to  add : — "  If  I  can  be  of  any  help  in 
this  matter,  you  may  command  me  absolutely. " 

She  gave  me  a  little  stiff  look,  and  I  thought  I 
had  offended  her :  but  the  next  moment  a  light  of 
eagerness  took  its  place. 

"When  are  you  leaving?  "  she  asked  with  an  in- 
difference I  could  see  was  assumed. 

"  By  the  St.  Petersburg  express  at  6  o'clock." 

"That  is  two  hours  after  the  Smolensk  train." 
She  paused  to  think  and  glanced  at  me  once,  as  if 
weighing  whether  she  dare  ask  me  something.  Then 
she  said  quickly: — "Will  you  give  me  a  couple  of 
hours  of  your  company  on  this  platform  and  in  the 
station  this  afternoon?  " 

It  was  a  strange  sort  of  request  and  when  I  saw 
how  anxiously  she  awaited  my  reply  I  could  perceive 
she  had  a  strong  motive :  and  one  that  had  certainly 
nothing  to  do  with  any  desire  for  my  company. 

Then  suddenly  I  guessed  her  motive.  The  cun- 
ning little  woman  !  Her  brother  was  obviously  go- 
ing to  fly  from  Moscow.  She  saw  that  inasmuch  as 
she  herself  had  mistaken  me  for  him,  others  would 
certainly  do  so ;  and  thus,  if  she  and  I  were  together, 
the  brother  would  get  away  unsuspected  and  would 
be  flying  from  Moscow  while  he  would  be  thought  to 
be  still  walking  about  the  station  with  his  sister.  I 
liked  the  idea,  and  the  girl's  pluck  on  behalf  of  her 
brother. 


The  Meeting  7 

"I  will  give  you  not  only  two  hours,"  I  said,  "but 
two  days,  or  two  weeks,  if  you  like — if  you  will  tell 
me  candidly  what  your  reason  is." 

She  started  at  this  and  saw  by  my  expression  that 
I  had  guessed  her  very  open  secret. 

"  If  you  will  walk  with  me  outside,  I  will  do  that," 
'she  said.  "I  am  a  very  poor  diplomatist."  With 
that  we  went  out  on  to  the  platform  and  commenced 
a  conversation  that  had  momentous  results  for  us  all. 

She  told  me  quite  frankly  that  she  wished  me  to 
act  as  a  cover  for  her  brother's  flight. 

"  No  harm  can  come  to  you.  You  will  only  have 
to  prove  your  identity — otherwise  I  should  not  have 
asked  this,"  she  said,  apologetically.  And  then  to 
excuse  herself,  she  added,  "  And  I  should  have  told 
you,  even  if  you  had  not  asked  me. " 

I  believed  in  her  sincerity  now,  and  I  told  her  so 
in  a  roundabout  way.  Then  I  said : — "  I  am  in  earn- 
est in  saying  that  I  will  stay  on  in  Moscow  for  a  day 
or  two  if  you  wish.  I  have  nothing  whatever  to  do, 
and  if  the  affair  should  bring  me  in  conflict  with 
anyone,  I  should  like  it.  I  can't  tell  you  all  my 
reasons,  as  that  would  mean  telling  you  a  biggish 
slice  of  my  life ;  but  feel  assured  that  if  there's  likely 
to  be  any  adventure  in  it  from  which  some  men 
might  shrink,  it  would  rather  attract  me  than  other- 
wise. But  if  you  care  to  tell  me  the  reasons  of  your 
brother's  flight,  I  will  breathe  no  word  of  them  to  a 
soul,  and  I  may  be  of  help."  I  began  to  scent  an 
adventure  in  it,  and  the  perfume  pleased  me. 

My  words  set  her  thinking  deeply,  and  we  took 
two  or  three  turns  up  and  down  before  she  an- 
swered. 

"  No,  you  mustn't  stop  over  to-day,"  she  said, 
slowly.  Then  she  added  thoughtfully: — "I  don't 


8  By  Right  of  Sword 

know  what  Alexis  would  say  to  my  confiding  in  you ; 
but  I  should  dearly  like  to."  She  turned  her  face  to 
me  and  looked  long  and  searchingly  into  my  eyes. 
Then  smiled  slightly — a  smile  of  confidence.  "I 
feel  I  can  trust  you.  I  will  risk  it  and  tell  you. 
My  brother  is  flying  because  a  man  in  his  regiment  " 
— here  her  eyes  shone  and  her  cheeks  coloured  to  a 
deep  red — "  has  fastened  a  quarrel  on  him.  He  has 
— has  tried  to — well,  he  has  worried  me  and  I  don't 
like  him  " — the  blush  was  of  indignation  now — "  and 
because  of  this  he  has  picked  a  quarrel  with  Alexis ; 
and  to-morrow — means  to  kill  him  in  that  form  of 
barbarous  assassination  you  men  call  duelling.  He 
knows  he  is  infinitely  more  skilful  than  poor  Alexis, 
and  that  my  dear  brother  is  no  match  for  him  with 
either  sword  or  pistol;  and  he  will  drag  him  out 
to-morrow,  and  either  shoot  or  stab  him." 

The  tears  overflowed  here,  and  made  the  eyes  look 
more  bright  and  beautiful  than  ever. 

"Why  didn't  your  brother  refuse  to  fight?  " 

" How  could  he?"  she  asked  despairingly.  "He 
would  have  been  a  marked  man — a  coward.  And  this 
wretch  would  have  triumphed  over  him.  And  he 
knows  this,  because  he  offered  to  let  Alexis  off,  if  I 
— if  I — Oh,  would  that  I  were  a  man !  "  she  cried, 
changing  the  note  of  indignant  grief  for  anger. 

"  Do  you  mean  he  has  made  such  an  offer  as  this 
since  the  challenge  passed?  " 

"  Yes,  my  brother  came  and  told  me.  But  I  could 
not  do  it.  And  now  this  has  come." 

I  didn't  think  very  highly  of  the  brother,  but  he 
had  evidently  talked  his  sister  round.  What  I 
thought  of  most  was  the  chance  of  a  real  adventure 
which  the  thing  promised. 

The  man  must  be  a  bully  and  a  scoundrel,  and  it 


The  Meeting  9 

would  serve  him  right  to  give  him  a  lesson.  If  this 
girl  had  not  recognised  me,  perhaps  he  would  not.  I 
felt  that  I  should  like  to  try.  There  was  no  reason 
why  I  should  not.  I  could  easily  spare  a  couple  of 
days  for  the  little  drama,  and  go  on  to  St.  Petersburg 
afterwards. 

"  You  are  very  anxious  for  your  brother's  safety  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"He  is  my  only  protector  in  the  world.  If  he 
gets  away  now  to  Berlin  or  Paris,  I  shall  follow  and 
go  to  him." 

"  But  is  he  likely  to  get  away  when  he  will  be 
missed  in  a  few  hours?  A  single  telegram  from 
Moscow  will  close  every  frontier  barrier  in  Russia 
upon  him." 

"  We  know  that ;  "  and  she  wrung  her  hands. 

"  If  he  could  have  two  clear  days  he  could  reach 
the  frontier  and  pass  unquestioned,"  I  said,  signifi- 
cantly. 

She  was  a  quick-witted  little  thing  and  saw  my 
point  with  all  a  woman's  sharpness. 

"  Your  life  is  not  ours  to  give  away.  This  man  is 
noted  for  his  great  skill." 

"  Would  everyone  be  likely  to  make  the  same  mis- 
take about  me  that  you  have  made  this  afternoon  ?  " 
I  asked  in  reply. 

She  looked  at  me  again.  She  was  trembling  a 
little  in  her  earnestness. 

"  Now  that  I  know,  I  can  see  differences — espe- 
cially in  your  expression ;  but  in  all  Moscow  there  is 
not  a  man  or  woman  who  would  not  take  you  for  my 
brother." 

"  Then  I  decide  for  the  two  days  here.  And  if  it 
will  make  you  more  comfortable,  I  can  assure  you  I 
am  quite  as  able  to  take  care  of  myself  with  either 


io  By  Right  of  Sword 

sword  or  pistol  as  this  bully  you  speak  of.  But  it  is 
for  you  to  decide." 

There  came  a  pause,  at  the  end  of  which  she  said, 
her  face  wearing  a  more  frightened  look : — 

"No,  it  must  not  be.  There  are  other  reasons. 
My  brother  is  mixed  up  with  ..." 

"  Excuse  me,  can  you  tell  me  which  is  the  train 
for  Smolensk?  "  asked  a  man  who  came  up  and  in- 
terrupted us,  speaking  in  a  mixture  of  Russian,  Eng- 
lish and  German. 

The  girl  started  violently,  and  I  guessed  the  man 
was  her  brother.  A  glance  at  his  eyes  confirmed 
this.  They  were  a  weak  rendering  of  the  glorious 
blue  eyes  that  had  been  inspiring  me  to  all  sorts  of 
impulses  for  the  last  hour. 

"  That  disguise  is  too  palpable,"  I  said,  quietly. 
He  had  shaved  and  was  wearing  false  hair  that  could 
deceive  no  one.  In  a  few  minutes  the  whole  situa- 
tion was  explained  to  him  by  his  quick  sister. 

"  I've  only  consented  to  go  in  order  that  Olga  here 
may  not  be  robbed  of  her  only  protector,"  he  said, 
thinking  apparently  to  explain  away  his  cowardice. 
"  She  has  no  one  in  the  world  to  look  after  her  but 
me,  you  know.  If  you'll  help  her  in  this  matter, 
she  will  be  very  much  obliged ;  and  so  shall  I.  You 
needn't  go  out  to-morrow  and  fight  Devinsky — that's 
the  major's  name:  Loris  Devinsky.  My  regiment's 
the  Moscow  Infantry  Regiment,  you  know.  If  you'll 
go  to  my  rooms  and  sham  ill,  no  one  will  know  you, 
and  as  soon  as  I'm  over  the  frontier  I'll  wire  Olga, 
and  you  can  get  away."  He  was  cunning  enough  as 
well  as  a  coward,  evidently. 

"Very  well,"  said  I.  "But  you'll  get  over  no 
frontier  if  you  wear  a  beard  which  everyone  with 
eyes  can  see  is  false,  and  talk  in  a  language  that  no 


The  Meeting  II 

one  ever  spoke  on  this  earth.  Pull  off  the  beard1, 
the  little  black  moustache  may  stay.  Speak  Eng- 
lish, or  your  own  tongue,  and  play  my  part  to  the 
frontier ;  and  here  take  my  passport ;  but  post  it  back 
t.o  your  sister  to  be  given  to  me  as  soon  as  you're 
safe  over.  And  for  Heaven's  sake  don't  walk  as 
if  you  were  a  thief  looking  out  for  arrest.  No 
one  suspects;  so  carry  yourself  as  if  no  one  had 
cause  to." 

It  was  a  good  thing  for  him  I  had  seen  his  sister 
first.  He  would  never  have  got  me  to  personate  him 
even  for  a  couple  of  hours. 

But  we  got  him  off  all  right,  and  his  sister  was 
so  pleased  that  I  could  not  help  feeling  pleased  also. 
First  in  his  assumed  character  he  made  such  arrange- 
ments for  my  luggage  as  I  wished,  and  then  we 
hurried  up  to  the  train  just  before  it  started.  As  we 
reached  the  barrier  where  the  papers  had  to  be  ex- 
amined, he  turned  and  bade  his  sister  good-bye,  and 
then  said  to  me  aloud  in  Russian,  hiding  his  voice  a 
little  :— 

"Well,  good-bye,  Alexis;"  and  he  shook  hands 
with  me. 

"  Good-bye,"  I  answered  with  a  laugh :  and  he 
waved  an  adieu  to  us  from  the  other  side  of  the 
barrier. 

As  we  turned  away  together,  Olga  was  a  little 
pale. 

Three  soldiers  saluted  me,  and  I  acknowledged  the 
salute  gravely,  glancing  at  them  as  I  passed. 

Then  I  noticed  a  couple  of  men  who  had  been 
standing  together  and  watching  the  girl  and  myself 
for  some  time,  leave  their  places  and  follow  us.  I 
told  my  companion  and  presently  I  saw  her  turn  and 
look  at  them,  and  then  start  and  shiver. 


12  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  Do  you  know  them  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Alas,  yes.     They  are  Nihilist  spies,  watching  us.  H 

"Ah,  then  there  is  a  little  more  in  this  than  I 
have  understood  so  far,"  I  said. 

"  You  shall  know  everything,"  she  replied  as  we 
left  the  station  together. 


CHAPTER  It 

I   AM   A   NIHILIST. 

"I  THINK  if  you  don't  mind  we  will  go  back  to 
the  station,"  said  my  companion,  stopping  after  we 
had  gone  a  little  way  without  speaking.  "  It  is  very 
convenient  for  talking.  Besides  you  have  to  decide 
whether  this  thing  shall  be  carried  any  farther." 

"  I  have  already  decided,"  I  replied,  quietly.  "  I 
am  going  through  with  it,  if  it  is  at  all  possible. 
But  I  have  thought  of  many  difficulties." 

"  You  must  know  all  that  I  can  tell  you,  please, 
before  you  decide,  or  I  shall  be  very  uncomfortable." 
She  said  this  very  firmly. 

"  Certainly  you  must  tell  me  everything  that  will 
help  me  to  know  what  manner  of  man  I  am  now." 
I  smiled  as  I  said  this  to  reassure  her ;  but  she  was 
very  earnest  and  a  little  pale. 

She  waited  a  while  until  there  was  no  one  near  us, 
and  then  said  in  a  low  tone : — 

"  My  brother  is  mixed  up  with  the  Nihilists  in 
some  way.  I  don't  know  how,  quite :  but  I  believe 
they  suspect  him  of  having  played  them  false,  and  I 
think  his  life  is  threatened.  Those  two  men  you 
saw  at  the  station  were  spies,  sent  either  to  stop 
him,  or,  if  he  got  away,  to  follow  him." 

"  But  they  didn't  attempt  to  stop  him. " 

"No,  they  mistook  you  for  him,  thinking  they 
could  see  through  the  disguise  of  a  clean  shaven  face. 


14 


By  Right  of  Sword 


Had  you  entered  the  train,  they  would  very  likely 
have  told  you  openly  not  to  go,  or  have  warned  you 
of  the  consequences. " 

"  And  what  would  be  the  consequences  ?  " 

"  Surely  you  know  what  it  means  for  a  Nihilist  to 
disobey  orders?  It  is  death."  She  was  white  now 
and  agitated.  "  I  am  so  ashamed  at  not  having  told 
you  before  you  took  the  first  step. " 

"  It  would  have  made  no  difference  in  my  de- 
cision," I  replied  promptly.  I  thought  more  of 
clearing  her  clouded  face  than  of  any  possible  con- 
sequences to  me.  "  But  tell  me,  are  you  also  mixed 
up  with  them  in  any  way?  " 

"  I  am  putting  my  liberty  and  perhaps  my  life 
into  your  hands,"  she  said,  in  the  same  very  earnest 
tone  and  manner.  "  My  brother  has  drawn  me  in 
with  him  to  a  certain  extent.  You  know  they  like 
to  have  many  women  in  the  ranks." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  you.  I  have  rarely  known  a 
Nihilist  who  was  capable  of  getting  much  pleasure 
out  of  life. "  A  cold  touch  of  fear  seemed  to  con- 
tract her  features,  as  she  glanced  at  me  and  shrank  a 
little  from  me. 

"  You !  What — how  come  you  to  know  anything 
of  this  ?  You  said  you  were — an  Englishman  ?  " 

"  I  am  an  Englishman :  but  I  lived  the  first  sixteen 
years  of  my  life  in  Russia:  the  last  six  of  them  in 
Moscow  here ;  and  I  know  much  of  Russian  life.  I 
have  made  only  one  visit  to  Russia  since  I  left ;  and 
this  time  I  arrived  only  last  night,  and  intended  to 
go  on  to  St.  Petersburg  as  I  told  you  to-day.  It  will 
save  time  in  this  matter  if  you  can  make  up  your 
mind  to  believe  absolutely  in  my  good  faith." 

I  looked  into  her  face  as  I  said  this,  and  I  held  out 
my  hand.  She  laid  hers  in  it,  and  we  clasped  hands 


I  am  a  Nihilist  15 

in  a  strong  firm  grip  as  a  token  of  mutual  faith  and 
friendship.  I  believed  in  the  little  soul,  and  meant 
to  stand  by  her. 

"  I  will  trust  you  now,"  she  said,  simply,  after  a 
pause. 

"  As  for  what  you  have  told  me,  it  can  make  no 
difference  to  me,"  I  declared.  "  If  I  go  out  and  meet 
this  fellow  Devinsky  to-morrow,  and  he  beats  me,  it 
will  be  all  the  same  to  me  whether  I  am  a  Nihilist 
or  an  Englishman.  There  is  only  one  soul  in  all  the 
world  who  will  care;  and  I  shall  give  you  a  letter  to 
be  posted  to  him — if  things  go  wrong." 

I  stopped  to  give  her  an  opportunity  of  promising 
to  do  this ;  but  she  remained  silent,  and  walked  with 
her  head  bent  low.  I  felt  rather  a  clumsy  fool.  She 
was  such  a  sensitive  little  body,  that  the  thought  of 
my  being  killed,  as  the  result  of  her  having  got  me 
to  help  her  brother  away,  naturally  upset  her.  She 
couldn't  know  how  gladly  I  should  welcome  the  other 
man's  sword-point  between  my  ribs. 

After  a  pause  of  considerable  constraint  she  said : — 

"  There  is  no  need  whatever  for  you  to  go  out  and 
meet  Major  Devinsky.  You  can  do  as  Alexis  said; 
be  ill  in  bed  until  the  passport  comes  back,  and  then 
leave." 

"  Oh,  I'm  not  one  to  play  the  coward  in  that  way," 
said  I,  lightly,  when  a  look  of  reproach  from  those 
most  expressive  eyes  of  hers  made  me  curse  myself 
for  a  clumsy  fool  for  this  reflection  on  her  brother's 
want  of  pluck.  "  I  mean  this.  If  I  take  up  a  part 
in  anything  I  must  play  it  my  own  way;  but  there's 
more  than  that  behind.  I  don't  want  to  look  like 
bragging  before  you ;  but  I  have  come  out  here  to 
Russia  to  volunteer  for  the  war  which  everyone  says 
must  come  with  Turkey.  I've  done  it  because-  - 


1 6  By  Right  of  Sword 

well,  you  may  guess  that  a  man  has  a  pretty  strong 
reason  when  he  wants  to  volunteer  to  fight  another 
country's  battles.  It's  the  sort  of  thing  in  which 
he  can  expect  plenty  of  the  kicks,  while  others  get 
all  the  ha'pence.  I've  not  been  a  success  in  Eng- 
land and  I've  had  a  stroke  lately  that's  made  me  sick' 
of  things.  I  can't  explain  all  this  in  detail :  but  the 
long  and  short  of  it  is  that  if  anything  were  to  happen 
to  me  to-morrow  morning,  it  would  be  the  most  wel- 
come thing  imaginable  for  me.  Now,  you'll  under- 
stand what  I  mean  when  I  tell  you  that  nothing  you 
can  say  as  to  the  danger  of  the  business  can  do  any- 
thing but  attract  me.  If  I  could  only  feel  my  blood 
tingling  again  in  a  rush  of  excitement,  I'd  give  any- 
thing." 

My  companion  listened  carefully  to  this,  and  her 
tell-tale  face  was  all  sympathy  when  I  finished.  Ob- 
viously she  was  deeply  interested. 

"  Have  you  no  mother  or  sister?  "  she  asked. 

"  No — fortunately  for  them." 

"  Have  you  never  had  anyone  to  lean  on  you  and 
trust  to  you  for  guidance  and  protection?  That 
helps  a  good  man." 

"  No.  But  I've  had  those  who've  taken  good  care 
to  break  my  trust  in  them — and  everything  else." 
This  with  a  bitter  little  reminiscent  sneer  and  a 
shrug  of  the  shoulders.  "  Still,  it  has  its  advantages. 
Any  new  part  I  might  wish  to  pliy  could  not  be 
more  barren  than  the  old." 

My  companion  shot  a  glance  up  in  my  face  as  I 
said  this,  but  made  no  answer.  It  was  I  who  broke 
the  silence. 

"  Time  is  flying,"  I  said,  in  a  lighter  tone :  "  and 
I  have  much  to  learn  if  I  am  to  be  your  brother  for 
the  next  two  or  three  days.  I  want  to  know  where  I 


I  am  a  Nihilist  17 

live,  where  you  live,  all  that  you  can  tell  me  about 
my  brother  officers  and  my  duties — everything.  In- 
deed that  is  necessary  to  prevent  my  being  at  once 
discovered." 

After  some  further  expostulation  she  told  me  that 
she  and  her  brother  were  orphans;  that  they  had 
come  about  a  year  or  so  before  to  Moscow  on  her 
brother  being  transferred  to  this  regiment ;  and  that 
the  brother  had  private  quarters  in  the  Square  of  St. 
Mark,  while  she  lived  with  an  aunt,  their  only  rela- 
tive, in  a  suite  of  rooms  close  to  the  Cathedral. 
They  were  of  a  very  old  family,  neither  rich  nor  poor, 
but  having  enough  to  live  comfortably  and  mix  in 
some  amount  of  society. 

I  gathered,  however,  that  Alexis  had  been  the 
source  of  much  trouble.  He  had  embarrassed  his 
money  affairs ;  lived  a  fast  life,  become  involved  with 
the  Nihilists;  dragged  in  his  sister;  and  had  ended 
by  compromising  himself  in  many  quarters.  She 
told  me  the  story,  so  much  as  she  knew  of  it,  very 
deftly,  intending  no  doubt  to  screen  her  brother;  but 
I  could  read  enough  between  the  lines  to  understand 
that  his  life  had  been  anything  but  saintly.  More- 
over, I  was  very  much  mistaken  if  he  were  not  as 
arrant  a  coward  as  ever  crowed  on  a  dung-hill  and 
ran  away  when  the  time  came  for  fighting. 

All  this  gave  me  plenty  of  food  for  thought — some 
of  it  disagreeable  enough.  It  was  no  pleasant  thing 
to  take  up  the  part  of  a  coward  and  a  scapegrace. 
Scapegrace  I  had  been  all  my  life  in  a  way :  but  no 
man  ever  thought  me  a  coward. 

I  take  no  credit  to  myself  for  not  being  a  coward ; 
and  I  am  quite  ready  to  believe  that  there  are  sound 
physiological  reasons  for  it.  Nature  may  have  for- 
gotten  to  give  me  those  nerves  by  which  men  feel 


1 8  By  Right  of  Sword 

fear;  but  it  is  the  case  that  never  in  my  life  have 
I  experienced  even  a  passing  sensation  of  fear.  I 
would  just  as  soon  die  as  go  to  sleep.  I  have  seen 
men — much  better  men  than  I,  and  quite  as  truly 
brave — shudder  at  the  idea  of  death  and  shrink  with 
dread  from  the  thought  of  pain.  But  at  no  time  in 
iny  life  have  I  cared  for  either ;  and  I  have  come  to 
regard  this  as  due  to  Nature's  considerate  omissions 
in  my  creation.  Certain  other  omissions  of  hers 
have  not  been  so  considerate. 

This  will  explain,  however,  why  the  thought  of  the 
danger  which  troubled  my  new  " sister"  so  much  did 
not  cause  me  even  a  passing  uneasiness,  especially 
at  such  a  time.  What  I  was  anxious  to  do  was  to 
get  hold  of  as  much  detail  as  possible  of  my  new 
character;  and  I  was  sufficiently  interested  by  it  to 
wish  to  play  it  successfully. 

To  this  end  I  questioned  my  companion  very 
closely  indeed  about  the  names  and  appearance  of 
the  brother's  friends  and  fellow  officers,  about  the 
habits  of  military  life,  and  in  short  about  everything 
I  deemed  likely  to  help  me  not  to  stumble. 

At  the  close  of  the  examination  I  said : — 

"At  any  rate  we  two  must  begin  to  rehearse. 
You  must  call  me  Alexis  and  must  allow  me  to  call 
you  Olga;  and  we  must  do  it  always  to  avoid  slips." 

She  saw  the  need  but  blushed  a  bit  when  I  added : 
— "And  now,  Olga,  we'll  make  our  first  practical 
experiment.  We'll  go  together  to  my  rooms  and  you 
must  shew  me  what  sailors  call  my  bearings." 

"  Shall  we  walk — Alexis  ?  "  she  asked,  her  eyes 
bright  and  her  cheeks  ruddy  with  pretty  confusion. 

"  By  all  means — Olga,"  I  answered,  returning  her 
smile,  and  imitating  her  emphasis  on  the  Christian 
name.  "  Do  you  know  that  my  sister's  name  has  a 


I  am  a  Nihilist  19 

very  quaint  sountf  in  my  ears,  and  comes  very  trip* 
pingly  to  a  brother's  tongue  ?  " 

"  But  you  don't  like  it  and  you  think  it  common," 
she  returned. 

"  I  ? " 

"  Yes,  you  have  often  said  so,  Alexis.  Surely 
you  remember.  Why,  only  this  morning  you  said 
how  silly  you  had  always  thought  it,"  she  replied, 
demurely. 

"Oh,  I  see,"  I  laughed.  "Ah,  I've  changed  that 
opinion.  A  good  many  other  things  have  changed 
too,  since  this  morning,"  I  added  drily ;  and  we  both 
laughed  then,  and,  considering  the  circumstances, 
were  in  extremely  good  spirits. 

"Alexis,"  she  cried,  with  a  sudden  warning  as  we 
turned  a  corner  into  the  Square  of  St.  Gregory. 
"Don't  you  see  who  is  coming  toward  us?  Major 
Devinsky  and  Lieutenants  Trackso  and  Weisswich. 
The  major  will  pass  next  you.  What  will  you  do? " 
She  asked  this  in  a  quick  hurried  voice. 

"  Cut  him  as  dead  as  a  door  nail,"  said  I,  instantly, 
drawing  myself  up.  "And  the  other  fellows  too; 
are  they  friends  of  mine,  by  the  way  ?  " 

"  No,  they  are  his  toadies,"  she  whispered. 

Olga  bent  her  face  down  and  would  not  see  them ; 
but  I  squared  my  shoulders  and  held  my  head  aloft, 
fixing  my  eyes  steadily  on  the  three  men  as  they  ap- 
proached. At  first  they  did  not  recognise  me. 
Then  I  saw  one  of  them  start,  and  making  a  rapid 
motion  of  his  hand  across  his  chin,  he  whispered  to 
his  companions,  both  of  whom  started  in  their  turn 
and  laughed. 

As  we  passed  the  major  made  an  effusive  bow  to 
my  "  sister "  which  the  other  two  copied,  while  all 
three  sneered  with  an  air  of  insolent  braggadocio  and 


20  By  Right  of  Sword 

simultaneously  put  their  hands  to  their  chins  as  theif 
eyes  fell  on  me. 

My  blood  seethed  with  anger  at  the  insult.  Noth- 
ing could  have  fired  my  eagerness  more  effectively 
to  begin  the  drama  of  my  new  life.  If  I  didn't 
punish  each  of  those  three  for  that  insult,  it  should 
be  because  death  stepped  in  to  stop  me. 

"  I  am  glad  we  met  them,"  said  I,  smiling.  "  I 
shall  know  now  which  is  my  adversary  to-morrow, 
and  shan't  pink  the  wrong  man  by  mistake.  But 
you  look  a  bit  scared,  Olga. " — I  saw  she  was  very 
pale. 

"  I  am  afraid  of  that  man,"  she  answered.  "  He 
is  a  man  of  good  family  and  great  wealth,  and  has  a 
lot  of  influence  in  certain  circles.  He  is  an  ugly 
enemy." 

"  Ugly,  he  certainly  is,"  said  I,  lightly,  speaking 
of  his  face. 

"  I  mean  dangerous,"  replied  the  girl  seriously. 

"  I  know  you  do,  child,"  I  answered,  as  naturally 
as  if  she  were  really  my  sister.  "  But  we'll  wait  till 
we  talk  this  over  after  to-morrow  morning.  I  tell 
you  what  I'll  promise  you  as  a  treat.  You  shall 
breakfast  with  me,  or  rather  I'll  breakfast  with  you 
to-morrow,  and  tell  you  at  first  hand  all  about  the 
meeting.  You  have  been  a  little  too  anxious  about 
me." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  might  occasion  remark,"  she  re- 
plied with  the  demure  look  I  had  noticed  once  or 
twice  before.  "  You  know  that  you  have  not  always 
been  an  attentive  brother,  Alexis :  and  it  is  not  good 
acting  to  overdo  the  part : "  and  she  threw  me  a  little 
smile  and  a  glance. 

I  laughed  and  answered: — "That  may  be:  but 
I've  changed  since  the  morning,  as  I  told  you  before. " 


I  am  a  Nihilist  21 

"  Very  well,  then.  You  remember  of  course  that 
aunt  never  gets  up  early  enough  to  have  breakfast 
with  me — but  you  shall  come  if  " — and  here  the  light 
died  right  out  of  her  face  and  her  underlip  trembled 
so  that  she  had  to  bite  it  to  keep  it  steady — "  if  all 
goes  well,  as  I  pray  it  may." 

"  You  are  a  good  sister,  and  need  have  no  fear.  I 
am  not  made  of  the  stuff  to  go  down  before  that 
bully's  sword.  So  get  ready  my  favourite  dish — 
whatever  that  may  be — and  I'll  promise  to  do  justice 
to  it." 

"  Here  are  your  rooms,"  she  said,  a  moment  later, 
as  she  stopped  before  a  large  wide  house.  "  They 
are  on  the  ground  floor  with  those  windows.  But 
before  we  go  in,  remember  your  manservant's  name 
is  Vosk,  and  he  is  a  very  sharp  fellow.  And  please 
let  me  give  you  a  word  of  warning.  Alexis  has  not 
only  not  been  attentive  to  me,  but  his  manner  has 
often  been  very  brusque  and — oh,  if  you  had  had 
sisters  you  would  know  how  brothers  behave.  They 
don't  mind  turning  their  backs  on  one;  they  con- 
tradict, and  interrupt  and  laugh  at  one ;  treat  one  as 
a  convenience,  and  are  rude.  They  don't  in  the  least 
mind  hiding  their  affection  under  the  garb  of  indif- 
ference and  contempt,  and  all  that." 

"Am  I  to  treat  you  with  contempt,  then?"  I 
asked  with  a  grin. 

"  I  think  you  should  be  a  little  more  brusque,"  she 
replied,  laughing  and  blushing.  She  was  really  a 
very  jolly  little  sister. 

"  I  shall  get  into  it  all  in  a  day  or  two,  perhaps. " 

"You  had  better  try.  Vosk  is  very  sharp  in- 
deed. " 

"All  right,  I'll  find  means  somehow  to  dull  his 
Wits." 


22  By  Right  of  Sword 

We  went  in  and  I  then  tried  to  put  a  little  more 
bluntness  into  my  manner  and  to  play  the  brother. 
The  man  was  in  his  room  when  I  entered  and  started 
when  he  saw  the  change  in  my  appearance.  I  caught 
his  vigilant  eye  glance  sharply  at  the  pattern  and  cut 
of  my  clothes. 

"  Does  your  face  hurt  you  now,  Alexis  ? "  asked 
Olga. 

I  understood  her  and  answered  in  a  somewhat  surly 
tone,  putting  my  hand  to  my  left  cheek.  "  No,  not 
so  much  now;  but  it  was  an  infernally  silly  joke  to 
play.  It's  cost  me  my  beard  and  a  suit  of  clothes. 
A  good  thing  it  wasn't  a  uniform.  Put  out  some- 
thing for  me  to  wear,  Vosk, "  I  said  sharply  to  the 
man. 

He  looked  at  me  again  very  keenly,  but  went  at 
once  to  do  what  I  ordered.  Olga  and  I  went  into  the 
chief  sitting  room — there  were  two  leading  one  out 
of  the  other — and  sat  down.  The  man's  manner  had 
reminded  me  of  several  things.  Very  soon  I  made 
an  excuse  and  sent  him  out. 

"  You  must  tell  me  all  about  the  clothes  I  have  to 
wear  at  different  functions,"  I  said.  "  Vosk  saw  that 
these  were  not  out  of  my  wardrobe  proper,  and  while 
he's  out,  I'll  hurry  and  change  them,  and  we'll  see 
how  the  uniforms  fit  me.  A  mistake  may  spoil 
everything  at  the  last  moment. " 

I  ran  into  the  bedroom  and  slipped  into  the  un- 
dress uniform  the  man  had  laid  ready.  To  my 
supreme  satisfaction  I  found  that  they  fitted  me 
fairly  well ;  and  though  they  required  some  touches 
here  and  there,  they  would  pass  muster  as  my  own. 
I  tried  on  also  some  of  the  other  uniforms  I  saw  in 
the  room ;  and  wearing  one  of  them,  I  went  back  to 
my  "  sister." 


I  am  a  Nihilist  23 

She  cried  out  in  her  astonishment : — "  My  brother 
Alexis  to  the  life. " 

"  Your  brother  Alexis  to  the  death,"  I  answered 
so  earnestly  that  she  coloured  as  I  took  her  hand  and 
kissed  it.  Then  in  a  lighter  tone  I  added,  "  Uni- 
forms make  all  men  of  anything  like  the  same  figure 
look  alike.  It's  fortunate  that  your  brother's  an  army 
man."  Then  we  chatted  for  some  minutes  until  I 
thought  it  prudent  to  change  back  again  into  the  un- 
dress uniform  that  Vosk  had  put  out. 

Then  I  took  a  lesson  in  uniforms  and  questioned 
Olga  until  she  had  told  me  all  that  she  herself  knew 
about  them. 


CHAPTER  IIL 

MY  SECONDS. 

I  WALKED  with  my  sister  to  her  home,  aud  then 
returned  to  my  rooms  and  sat  down  to  think  out  seri- 
ously and  in  detail  the  extraordinary  position  into 
which  I  had  fallen. 

The  more  I  considered  it  the  more  I  liked  it,  and 
I  am  bound  to  add  the  more  dangerous  it  seemed. 
Obviously  it  was  one  thing  to  be  mistaken  for  a  man 
and  to  pass  for  him  for  a  few  minutes  or  hours :  but 
it  was  quite  another  to  take  up  his  life  where  he  had 
dropped  it  and  play  the  part  day  by  day  and  week 
after  week.  There  must  be  a  thousand  threads  of 
the  existence  of  which  no  one  but  himself  could 
know,  yet  each  would  have  to  be  laid  correctly  in 
continuation  of  the  due  pattern  of  his  life ;  or  dis- 
covery would  follow. 

Here  lay  my  difficulty,  and  for  a  time  I  did  not  see 
a  way  round  it  or  through  it  or  under  it.  So  far  as 
I  could  judge  by  all  that  my  sister  had  told  me,  the 
resemblance  between  the  real  Alexis  and  myself  was 
strictly  limited  to  physical  qualities.  A  freak  of 
nature  had  made  us  counterparts  of  one  another  in 
size,  look,  complexion,  voice,  and  certain  gestures. 
But  it  stopped  there.  My  other  self  was  a  subtle, 
cunning,  intriguing,  traitorous  conspirator,  and  very 
much  of  a  coward :  while  I — well,  I  was  not  that 


My  Seconds  25 

1  come  of  a  very  old  Cornish  family  with  many  of 
the  Celtic  characteristics  most  strongly  developed. 
I  believe  that  I  have  a  certain  amount  of  mother  wit 
or  shrewdness,  but  no  process  that  was  ever  known 
or  tried  with  me  was  sufficient  to  drive  into  me  even 
sufficient  learning  to  enable  me  to  scrape  through  a 
career.  I  was  the  despair  first  of  the  Russian 
schoolmasters  for  over  ten  years,  and  next  of  all  the 
English  tutors  who  took  me  in  hand  during  the  next 
ten.  I  went  to  a  large  English  school,  and  was  ex- 
pelled, after  a  hundred  scrapes,  because  I  learnt  noth- 
ing. I  tried  to  cram  for  Oxford,  but  never  could  get 
through  Smalls ;  and  the  good  old  Master,  who  loved 
a  strong  man,  almost  cried  when,  after  two  years  of 
ploughs,  he  had  to  send  me  down,  when  I  was  the 
best  oar  in  the  eight,  the  smartest  field  and  hardest 
hitter  in  the  eleven,  the  fastest  mile  and  half-mile 
in  the  Varsity,  and  one  of  the  three  strongest  men 
in  all  Oxford. 

But  I  had  to  go,  and  I  went  to  an  army  crammer 
to  try  and  be  stuffed  for  the  service.  I  never  had  a 
chance  with  the  books;  but  I  carried  all  before  me 
in  every  possible  form  of  sport.  It  was  there  I 
picked  up  my  fencing  and  revolver  shooting.  It  be- 
came a  sort  of  passion  with  me.  I  could  use  the  re- 
volver like  a  trickster  and  shoot  to  a  hair's  breadth; 
while  with  either  broadsword  or  rapier  I  could  beat 
the  fencing  master  all  over  the  school.  However,  I 
was  beaten  by  the  examiners  and  my  couple  of  years' 
work  succeeded  only  in  giving  my  muscles  the  hard- 
ness of  steel  and  flexibility  of  whipcord.  I  am  not 
a  big  man,  nearly  two  inches  under  6ft.,  but  at  that 
time  I  had  never  met  anyone  who  could  beat  me  in 
any  trial  where  strength,  endurance,  or  agility  was 
needed.  But  these  would  not  satisfy  the  examiners, 


*6  By  Right  of  Sword 

so  I  gave  up  all  thought  of  getting  into  the  army 
that  way. 

I  tried  the  ranks,  therefore,  and  joined  a  regiment 
in  which  a  couple  of  brainless  family  men  had  en- 
listed, as  a  step  toward  a  commission.  But  I  was 
only  in  for  six  months :  and  my  surprise  is  that  I 
stopped  so  long.  There  was  a  beast  of  a  sergeant — 
a  strong  fellow  in  his  way  who  had  been  cock  of  the 
dunghill  until  I  came — and  after  I'd  thrashed  him 
first  with  the  single- sticks,  and  then  with  the  gloves, 
and  in  a  wrestling  bout  had  given  him  a  taste  of  our 
Cornish  methods,  he  marked  me  out  for  special  petty 
illtreatment.  It  came  to  a  climax  one  day  when  a 
couple  of  dozen  of  us  were  sent  off  on  a  train  jour- 
ney. I  left  on  the  platform  some  bit  of  the  gear. 
He  noticed  it  and  bringing  it  to  the  carriage  window, 
flung  it  in  at  me  and,  with  a  sneer  and  a  big  coarse 
oath,  cried: — "D'ye  think  I'm  here  to  wet-nurse 
you,  you  damnation  great  baby  ?  "  And  he  waited  a 
moment  with  the  sneer  still  on  his  face:  and  he 
didn't  wait  in  vain,  either.  Forgetting  all  about 
discipline  and  thinking  only  of  his  insult,  I  flung  out 
my  left  and  hit  him  fair  on  the  mouth,  sending  him 
down  like  a  ninepin.  Then  I  picked  up  my  things 
and  went  straight  away  to  report  myself  to  the  officer 
in  charge  of  us.  There  was  a  big  row,  with  the  re 
suit  that  the  sergeant  was  reduced  to  the  ranks:,  and 
I  was  allowed  to  buy  myself  out,  being  given  plainly 
to  understand  that  if  I  stayed  in,  my  chance  of  a 
commission  was  as  good  as  lost.  This  closed  my 
army  career. 

For  a  few  years  I  was  at  a  loose  end  altogether — 
a  man  of  action  without  a  sphere.  Then  the  natural 
result  followed.  I  fell  madly  in  love  with  my  best 
friend's  sister,  Edith  Balestier.  I  cursed  my  folly 


My  Seconds  27 

in  having  wasted  my  life,  and  filled  the  air  with  vows 
that  I  would  set  to  work  to  increase  my  income  of 
^£250  a  year  to  an  amount  such  as  would  let  me  give 
her  a  home  worthy  of  her.  She  loved  me.  I  know 
that.  But  her  mother  didn't ;  and  in  the  end,  the 
mother  won.  Edith  tossed  me  over  ruthlessly,  while 
I  was  away  for  a  couple  of  months ;  and  all  in  a 
hurry  she  married  another  man  for  his  title  and  money. 

It  was  only  the  old  tale.  I  knew  that  well  enough ; 
but  it  seemed  to  break  my  last  hope.  Everything 
I'd  ever  really  wanted,  I'd  always  failed  to  get.  I 
was  like  a  lunatic;  and  vowed  I'd  kill  myself  after 
I'd  punished  the  woman  who'd  done  worse  than  kill 
me. 

I  thought  out  a  scheme  and  played  it  shrewdly 
enough.  I  shut  the  resolve  out  of  sight,  and  laughed 
and  jibed  as  though  I  felt  no  wound.  And  I  waited. 
The  chance  came  surely  enough.  I  went  down  to  a 
dance  at  a  place  a  bit  out  of  town  and  took  my  re- 
volver with  me.  After  a  waltz  I  led  my  Lady  Cargill 
out  into  the  shrubbery  and  when  she  least  suspected 
what  I  was  about,  whipped  out  the  weapon  and  told 
her  what  I  was  going  to  do.  She  knew  me  well 
enough  to  feel  I  was  in  deadly  earnest ;  but  she  made 
no  scene,  such  as  another  woman  might.  Her  white 
beauty  held  my  hand  an  instant,  and  in  that  time  her 
husband,  Sir  Philip,  came  up.  Then  I  had  a  flash  of 
genius.  I  knew  he  was  as  jealous  as  a  man  could 
be  and  as  he  had  known  nothing  of  my  relations  with 
Edith,  like  many  another  self-sufficient  idiot,  he  im- 
agined she  had  loved  him  and  no  one  else.  I  opened 
his  eyes  that  night.  Keeping  him  in  control  with 
the  pistol,  I  made  him  hear  the  whole  passionful 
story  of  her  love  for  me  from  her  own  lips ;  and  I 
shall  never  forget  how  the  white  of  his  craven  fear 


*8  By  Right  of  Sword 

changed  to  the  dull  grey  of  a  sickened  heart  as  he 
heard.  At  a  stroke  it  killed  my  desire  to  kill.  I 
had  had  a  revenge  a  thousand  times  more  powerful. 
I  had  made  the  wife  see  the  husband's  craven  pol- 
troonery, and  the  husband  the  wife's  heart  infidelity; 
and  I  let  them  live  for  their  mutual  distrust  and 
punishment. 

A  month  later  I  stood  on  the  Moscow  platform, 
my  back  turned  on  England  for  ever,  my  face  turned 
war-wards,  and  my  heart  ready  for  any  devilment 
that  might  offer,  when  my  fate  was  tossed  topsy-turvy 
into  a  cauldron  of  welcome  dangers,  promising  death 
and  certainly  calculated  to  give  me  that  distraction 
from  my  own  troubles  which  I  desired  so  keenly. 

I  was  thus  ready  erough  to  take  up  my  new  char- 
acter in  earnest  and  piay  it  to  the  end.  If  I  were 
discovered,  it  could  not  mean  more  than  death ;  while 
there  were  possibilities  in  it  which  might  have  very 
different  results.  War  with  Turkey  was  a  certainty, 
and  at  such  a  time  I  should  be  able  to  find  my  sphere, 
and  might  be  able  to  carve  for  myself  a  position. 

It  was  clear  that  Alexis  had  so  far  been  known  as 
a  very  different  man  from  the  kind  that  produces 
good  soldiers :  but  men  sometimes  reform  suddenly, 
and  the  new  Alexis  would  be  cast  in  a  quite  different 
mould.  The  difficulty  was  to  invent  a  pretext  for  the 
sudden  change ;  and  in  regard  to  this  a  good  idea  oc- 
curred to  me. 

I  resolved  to  say  that  I  had  had  an  ugly  accident 
and  a  great  fright,  and  to  connect  this  with  the  shav- 
ing of  my  beard  and  moustache.  To  pretend  that 
the  mishap  had  effected  as  complete  a  change  in  my 
nature  as  in  my  appearance :  as  if  my  brain  had  been 
in  some  way  affected.  I  mapped  out  a  very  boldly 
defined  course  of  eccentric  conduct  which  would  be 


My  Seconds  29 

not  altogether  inconsistent  with  some  such  mental 
disturbance.  I  would  be  moody,  silent,  reserved, 
and  yet  subject  to  gusts  and  fits  of  uncontrollable 
passion  and  anger :  desperate  in  all  matters  touching 
courage,  and  contemptuously  intolerant  of  any  kind 
of  interference.  I  knew  that  my  skill  with  the  sword 
and  pistol  would  soon  win  me  respect  and  a  reputa- 
tion, while  any  mistakes  I  made  would  be  set  down 
to  eccentricity.  I  was  drawing  from  life — a  French 
officer  whom  I  had  known  stationed  at  Rouen :  evi- 
dently a  man  with  a  past  which  no  one  even  dared  to 
question.  I  calculated  that  in  this  way  I  should 
make  time  to  choose  my  permanent  course. 

I  soon  had  an  opportunity  of  setting  to  work. 

The  officer  who,  as  Olga  had  told  me,  was  to  be 
my  chief  second  in  the  morning,  Lieutenant  Essaieff, 
came  to  see  me.  He  was  immensely  surprised  at  the 
change  in  my  appearance,  scanned  me  very  curiously 
and  indeed  suspiciously,  and  asked  the  cause. 

"  Drink  or  madness  ?  "  he  put  it  laconically,  in 
that  tone  of  contempt  with  which  one  speaks  to  a 
distrusted  servant  or  a  disliked  acquaintance. 

Even  my  friends  held  me  cheap,  it  seemed. 

"Neither  drink  nor  madness,  if  you  please,"  said 
I,  very  sternly,  eyeing  him  closely.  "  But  a  miracle." 

"  And  which  of  the  devils  is  it  this  time,  Petro- 
vitch?  "  he  asked,  laughing  lightly.  "  Gad,  he  must 
have  been  hard  put  to  it.  Or  is  it  one  of  the  she- 
devils,  eh?  You  know  plenty  of  those.  Let's  have 
the  tale."  He  laughed  again;  but  the  mirth  was 
not  so  genuine  that  time,  and  I  could  see  that  the 
effect  of  the  fixed  stare  with  which  I  regarded  him 
began  to  tell. 

"  I'm  in  no  mood  for  this  folly,"  said  I,  very 
curtly.  "  Save  for  a  miracle,  I  should  now  be  a 


30  By  Right  of  Sword 

dead  man.  That's  all.  And  I'll  thank  you  not 
to  jest  about  it. " 

He  was  serious  now  and  asked: — "How  did  it 
happen?  " 

I  made  no  answer,  but  sat  staring  moodily  out  in 
front  of  me,  and  yet  contriving  to  watch  him  as  he 
eyed  me  furtively  now  and  again,  in  surprise  at  the 
change  in  me. 

"Are  you  ill,  Petrovitch?  "  he  asked  at  length. 

"  Hell ! "  I  burst  out  with  the  utmost  violence, 
springing  to  my  feet.  "What  is  it  to  you?  "  And 
then  with  complete  inconsequence  I  added : — "  I  was 
praying,  and  in  answer  a  light  flashed  on  me  and 
would  have  consumed  me  wholly,  but  for  a  miracle. 
Half  my  clothes  and  my  face-hair  were  consumed — 
and  I  was  changed. " 

"Ah,  prayer's  a  dangerous  thing  when  you've  a 
lot  of  arrears  to  make  up,"  he  said  with  a  sneer. 

I  turned  and  looked  at  him  coldly  and  threaten- 
ingly. 

"  Lieutenant  Essaieff,  you  have  been  good  enough 
to  lend  me  your  services  for  this  business  to-morrow 
morning,  but  that  gives  you  no  title  to  insult  me. 
After  to-morrow  you  will  be  good  enough  to  give  me 
an  explanation  of  your  words." 

He  had  risen  and  stood  looking  at  me  so  earnestly 
that  I  half  thought  he  suspected  the  change.  But 
he  did  not. 

"You  will  not  be  alive  to  demand  it,"  he  said,  at 
length,  contemptuously,  clipping  the  words  short  in 
a  manner  that  shewed  me  how  angry  he  was  and  how 
much  he  despised  me.  "  I'm  only  sorry  I  was  fool 
enough  to  be  persuaded  to  act  for  you, "  he  added  as 
he  swung  out  of  the  room. 

I  laughed  to  myself  when  he  had  gone,  for  I  saw 


My  Seconds  31 

that  I  had  imposed  on  him.  He  thought  I  was  half 
beside  myself  with  fear.  Evidently  I  had  an  evil- 
smelling  reputation.  But  I  would  soon  change  all 
that,  I  thought,  as  I  Jset  to  work  to  examine  all  the 
papers  and  possessions  in  the  rooms.  I  was  engaged 
in  this  vrork  when  my  other  second  arrived.  He  was 
named  Ugo  Gradinsk,  and  was  a  very  different  kind 
of  man,  and  had  been  a  much  more  intimate  friend. 
He  had  heard  of  my  accident  and  had  come  for  news. 

A  glance  at  him  filled  me  with  instinctive  disgust. 

"What's  up,  Alexis?  "  was  his  greeting.  "That 
prig  Essaieff,  has  just  told  me  you're  in  a  devil  of  a 
funny  mood,  and  thinks  you're  about  out  of  your 
mind  with  fear.  What  the  devil  have  you  done  to 
yourself?  "  He  touched  his  chin  as  he  spoke. 

"  Can't  I  be  shaved  without  setting  you  all  cack- 
ling with  curiosity?  I  had  half  my  hair  burnt  off 
and  shaved  the  other  half."  He  started  at  my  surly 
tone  and  I  saw  in  his  eyes  a  reflection  of  the  other 
man's  thoughts. 

"  D'ye  think  you'll  be  a  smaller  mark  for  Devin- 
sky's  sword?  It's  made  a  devil  of  a  difference  in 
your  looks,  I  must  say.  And  in  your  manners  too. " 
I  heard  him  mutter  this  last  sentence  into  his  mous- 
tache. 

"  Do  you  think  I  mean  for  an  instant  to  allow  that 
bully's  sword  to  touch  me  ?  "  I  asked  scowling  angrily. 

"  Well,  you  thought  so  last  night  when  I  was  giv- 
ing you  that  wrinkle  with  the  foils — and  that  was 
certainly  why  you  got  this  infernal  duel  put  off  for  a 
day. " 

"Ah,  well,  I've  been  fooling  you,  that's  all,"  said 
I,  shortly.  "I've  played  the  fool  long  enough  too, 
and  I  mean  business.  I've  taken  out  a  patent."  I 
laughed  grimly. 


32  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  What  the  devil  d'ye  mean  ?     What  patent ? " 

"  A  new  sword  stroke.  The  sabre  stroke,  I  call 
it.  Every  first-rank  swordsman  has  one,"  I  cried 
boastfully. 

"First- rank  swordsman  be  hanged.  Why,  you 
can't  hold  a  candle  to  me.  And  I  would  not  stand 
before  Devinsky's  weapon  for  the  promise  of  a 
colonelcy.  Don't  be  an  ass." 

"  My  cut's  with  the  flat  of  the  sword  across  the 
face  directly  I've  disarmed  my  man." 

"  And  a  devilish  effective  cut  too  no  doubt — when 
you  have  disarmed  him.  But  you'd  better  be  making 
your  will  and  putting  your  things  in  order,  instead  of 
talking  this  sort  of  swaggering  rubbish  to  keep  your 
courage  up.  You  know  jolly  well  that  Devinsky 
means  mischief ;  and  what  always  happens  when  he 
does.  I  don't  want  to  frighten  you,  but  hang  it  all, 
you  know  what  he  is." 

"  I'm  going  to  pass  the  night  in  prayer,"  said  I : 
and  my  visitor  laughed  boisterously  at  this. 

"  If  you  confess  all  we've  done  together,  old  man, 
you'll  want  a  full  night,"  he  said. 

"  The  prayers  are  for  him,  not  for  me,"  and  at  that 
he  laughed  more  boisterously  than  before :  and  he 
began  to  talk  of  a  hundred  dissipated  experiences  we 
had  had  together.  I  let  him  talk  freely  as  it  was 
part  of  my  education,  and  he  rattled  on  about  such  a 
number  of  shameful  things  that  I  was  disgusted  alike 
with  him  and  with  the  beast  I  was  supposed  to  be. 
At  length  to  my  relief  he  stopped  and  asked  me  to 
go  across  to  the  club  for  the  last  night. 

I  resolved  to  go,  thinking  that  if  I  were  in  his 
company  it  would  seem  appropriate,  and  I  wished  to 
paint  in  more  of  the  garish  colours  of  my  new  char- 
icter  among  my  fellow- officers.  I  made  myself  very 


My  Seconds  33 

offensive  the  moment  I  was  inside  the  place.  I 
swaggered  about  the  rooms  with  an  assumption  of 
insufferable  insolence.  Whenever  I  found  a  man 
looking  askance  at  me — and  this  was  frequent  enough 
— I  picked  him  out  for  some  special  insult.  I  spoke 
freely  of  the  "  miracle  "  that  had  happened  to  me, 
and  the  change  that  had  been  effected.  I  repeated 
my  coarse  silly  jest  about  praying  all  night  for  my 
antagonist :  and  I  so  behaved  that  before  I  had  been 
in  the  place  an  hour,  I  had  laid  the  foundations  of 
enough  quarrels  to  last  me  a  month  if  I  wished  to 
have  a  meeting  every  morning. 

"  Ah,  he  knows  well  enough  he's  going  to  die  to- 
morrow morning,"  said  one  man  in  my  hearing. 
"  It's  no  good  challenging  a  man  under  sentence  of 
death,"  said  another;  while  a  number  of  others  held 
to  Essaieff's  view — that  I  was  beside  myself  with 
fear,  or  drink,  or  both  combined.  I  placed  myself  at 
the  disposal  of  every  man  who  had  a  word  to  say ; 
but  the  main  answer  I  received  was  an  expression  of 
thanks  that  after  that  night  I  should  trouble  them 
no  more. 

I  left  the  place,  hugely  pleased  with  the  result  of 
the  night's  work.  I  had  created  at  a  stroke  a  new 
part  for  Alexis  Petrovitch :  and  prepared  everyone 
to  expect  and  think  nothing  of  any  fresh  eccentricities 
or  further  change  they  might  observe  in  me  in  the 
future, 

I  reached  my  rooms  in  high  spirits,  and  sat  down 
to  overhaul  the  place  for  papers,  and  to  learn  some- 
thing more  of  myself  than  I  at  present  knew. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    DUEL. 

THE  discoveries  I  made  were  more  varied  and  in- 
teresting  than  agreeable :  and  I  found  plenty  of  evi- 
dence to  more  than  justify  my  first  ill  impressions  of 
Olga's  real  brother. 

It  was  time  indeed  that  there  should  be  a  change. 

The  man  must  have  gone  off  without  even  waiting 
to  sort  his  papers. 

Rummaging  in  some  locked  drawers,  the  keys  of 
which  I  found  in  a  little  cabinet  that  I  broke  open, 
I  came  across  a  diary  with  a  number  of  entries  with 
long  gaps  between  them,  which  seemed  to  throw  a 
good  deal  of  light  on  my  past. 

There  were  indications  of  three  separate  intrigues 
which  I  was  apparently  carrying  on  at  that  very 
time;  the  initials  of  the  women  being  "P.  T.,"  "A. 
P.,"  and  "  B.  G."  The  last-named,  I  may  say  at 
once,  I  never  heard  of  or  discovered  :  though  in  some 
correspondence  I  read  afterwards,  I  came  across  some 
undated  letters  signed  with  the  initials,  making  and 
accepting  and  declining  certain  appointments.  But 
both  "P.  T."  and  "A.  P."  were  the  cause  of  trouble 
afterwards. 

I  found  that  a  number  of  appointments  of  all  kinds 
were  fixed  for  the  following  afternoon.  The  initials 
of  the  persons  only  were  given,  but  enough  particulars 
were  added  to  shew  the  nature  of  the  business.  Thus 


The  Duel  35 

someone  was  coming  for  a  bet  of  1,000  roubles;  a 
money  lender  was  due  who  had  seemingly  declared 
that  he  would  wait  no  longer ;  and  quite  a  number 
of  tradesmen  for  their  bills. 

I  soon  saw  the  reason  for  all  this.  I  was  evidently 
a  fellow  with  a  turn  for  a  certain  kind  of  humour ; 
and  I  had  obviously  made  the  appointments  in  the 
full  assurance  either  that  Devinsky's  sword  would 
have  squared  all  earthly  accounts  in  full  for  me,  or 
that  I  should  be  safe  across  the  frontier  and  out  of 
my  creditors'  way. 

I  recalled  with  a  chuckle  my  words  to  Olga — that 
if  I  were  to  play  the  part  I  must  play  it  thoroughly. 
This  meant  that  not  only  must  I  fight  the  beggar's 
duel  for  him,  but  if  I  were  not  killed,  fence  with  his 
creditors  also  or  pay  their  claims. 

I  swept  everything  at  length  into  one  of  the  big- 
gest and  strongest  drawers,  locked  them  up,  and  sat 
down  to  think  for  a  few  minutes  before  going  to 
bed. 

If  I  fell  in  the  morning  I  wished  Rupert  Balestier 
to  hear  of  it;  and  the  only  means  by  which  that 
could  be  done  would  be  for  me  to  write  a  note  and 
get  Olga  to  post  it.  Half  a  dozen  words  would  be 
enough : 

"  MY  DEAR  RUPERT, 

"  The  end  has  come  much  sooner  than  I  hoped 
when  writing  you  this  afternoon.  A  queer  adventure 
has  landed  me  in  a  duel  for  to-morrow  morning  with 
a  man  who  is  known  as  a  good  swordsman.  He  may 
prove  too  much  for  me.  If  so,  good-bye,  old  friend, 
and  so  much  the  better.  It  will  save  an  awful  lot  of 
trouble ;  and  the  world  and  I  are  quite  ready  to  be 
quit  of  one  another.  The  receipt  of  this  letter 


36  By  Right  of  Sword 

posted  by  a  friendly  hand  will  be  a  sign  to  you  that 
I  have  fallen.     Again,  good-bye,  old  fellow. 

H.  T." 

I  did  not  put  my  name  in  full,  to  lessen  the  chance 
of  complication  should  the  letter  go  astray.  I  ad- 
dressed it,  and  then  put  it  under  a  separate  cover. 
Next  I  wrote  a  short  note  to  my  sister;  and  this  had 
to  be  ambiguously  worded,  lest  it  also  should  get 
into  the  wrong  hands. 

"Mv  DEAR  SISTER, 

"  You  know  of  my  duel  with  Major  Devinsky  and 
that  it  is  in  honour  unavoidable.  Should  I  fall,  I 
have  one  or  two  last  words.  I  have  many  debts ; 
but  had  arranged  to  pay  them  to-morrow ;  and  I  have 
more  than  enough  money  in  English  bank  notes  for 
the  purpose.  Pay  everything  and  keep  for  yourself 
the  balance,  or  do  with  it  what  you  think  best.  My 
money  could  be  used  in  no  better  way  than  to  clear 
up  entirely  this  part  of  my  life.  I  ask  you  to  post 
the  enclosed  letter  to  England;  and  please  do  so, 
without  even  reading  the  address.  This  is  my  one 
request. 

"  God  bless  you,  Olga,  and  find  you  a  better  pro- 
tector than  I  have  been  able  to  be. 

Your  brother, 

"  ALEXIS.  " 

This  I  sealed  up  and  then  enclosed  the  whole  in 
an  envelope  together  with  about  .£2,000  in  bank 
notes  which  I  had  brought  with  me  from  England. 
The  envelope  I  addressed  to  my  "  sister "  and  de- 
termined to  ask  my  chief  second,  Lieutenant  Essaieff, 
to  give  it  to  Olga,  should  I  fall. 


The  Duel  37 

One  other  little  task  I  had.  I  went  through  my 
clothes  and  my  own  few  papers  and  carefully  de- 
stroyed every  trace  of  connection  with  Hamylton 
Tregethner,  so  that  there  should  be  nothing  to  com- 
plicate the  matter  of  identity  in  the  ^vent  of  my 
death. 

So  far  so  good — if  Devinsky  killed  me.  But  what 
if  I  could  beat  him  ? 

The  quarrel  was  none  of  mine.  I  had  no  right  to 
go  out  and  even  fight  a  man  in  an  assumed  character, 
to  say  nothing  of  killing  him.  Look  at  the  thing  as 
I  would  I  could  make  nothing  else  than  murder  of  it ; 
and  very  treacherous  murder,  to  boot. 

The  man  was  doubtless  a  bully,  and  he  seemed 
willing  to  use  his  superior  skill  to  fix  a  quarrel  on 
Olga's  brother  and  kill  him,  in  order  to  leave  the 
girl  without  protection.  But  his  blackguardism  was 
no  excuse  for  my  killing  him.  I  had  no  right  to  in- 
terfere. I  had  never  seen  her  or  him  until  the  last 
few  hours;  and  however  much  Major  Devinsky  de- 
served punishment,  I  had  no  authority  to  administer  it. 

Probably  if  the  man  knew  how  I  could  use  the 
sword  he  would  never  have  dreamt  of  challenging 
me ;  and  I  could  not  substitute  my  exceptional  skill 
for  Olga's  brother's  lack  of  it  and  so  kill  the  man, 
without  being  in  fact,  whatever  I  might  seem  in 
appearance,  an  assassin. 

If  I  were  to  warn  him  before  the  duel  that  a  great 
mistake  had  been  made  as  to  my  skill,  I  shouldn't 
be  believed.  He  and  others  would  only  think  I  was 
keeping  up  the  braggart  conduct  of  that  evening  at 
the  club.  At  the  same  time  I  liked  the  idea  of  the 
warning.  It  would  at  any  rate  be  original,  espe- 
cially if  I  succeeded  in  beating  the  major.  But  i 
clear  that  I  could  not  kill  him. 


38  By  Right  of  Sword 

All  roads  led  round  to  that  decision :  and  as  I  had 
come  to  the  end  of  my  cigar  and  there  was  plenty  of 
reason  why  I  should  have  as  much  sleep  as  possible, 
I  went  to  bed  and  slept  like  a  top  till  my  man,  Vosk, 
called  me  early  in  the  morning  and  told  me  that 
Lieutenant  Gradinsk  was  already  waiting  for  me. 

"  That  beggar,  Essaieff,  has  gone  on  to  the  Com- 
mon"— this  was  where  we  were  to  fight — "Told  me 
to  tell  you.  Suppose  he  doesn't  care  to  be  seen  in 
our  company.  I  hate  the  snob,"  he  said  when  I 
joined  him. 

"  So  long  as  he's  there  when  I  want  him,  it's 
enough  for  me, "  said  I,  so  curtly,  that  my  companion 
looked  at  me  in  some  astonishment. 

"  Umph,  don't  seem  over  cheerful  this  morning, 
Alexis.  Must  perk  up  a  bit  and  shew  a  bold  front. 
It's  an  ugly  business  this,  but  you  won't  help  your- 
self now  by  ...  ." 

"  Silence,"  I  cried  sternly.  "  When  I'm  afraid, 
you  may  find  courage  to  tell  me  so  openly.  At  pres- 
ent it's  dangerous." 

Then  I  completed  my  few  preparations  in  absolute 
silence,  both  Gradinsk  and  the  servant  watching  me  in 
astonishment.  When  I  was  ready,  I  turned  to  Vosk. 

"  What  wages  are  due  to  you  ?  "  I  asked  sharply. 
He  told  me,  and  I  paid  him,  adding  the  amount  for 
three  months  further.  "You  leave  my  service  at 
once.  I  have  no  further  need  of  you."  I  was  in 
truth  anxious  to  get  rid  of  him. 

"My  things  are  here.  I  ..."  he  began,  obvi- 
ously making  excuses. 

"  I  give  you  five  minutes  to  take  what  is  absolutely 
necessary.  The  rest  you  can  have  another  time. 
You  will  not  return  here." 

"  Do  you  suspect  ..."  he  began  again. 


The  Due!  39 

*  I  only  discharge  you,"  I  returned  curtly.  *  Half 
of  one  of  your  minutes  is  gone."  He  looked  at  me 
a  moment,  fear  mingled  with  his  utter  astonishment, 
and  then  went  out  of  the  room. 

Five  minutes  later  I  locked  the  doors  behind  us 
and  put  the  keys  in  my  pocket. 

"  What  has  he  done,  Alexis  ?  Isn't  it  rather  risky  ? 
You've  been  so  intimate  ..."  said  Gradinsk,  as 
soon  as  we  were  in  the  droschky. 

"  It  is  I  who  have  done  this,  not  he, "  I  answered, 
sharply.  "  It  is  my  private  affair  if  you  please. " 

"D your  private  affairs,"  he  cried  in  a  burst 

of  temper.  "  Even  if  you  are  going  to  die,  you 
needn't  behave  like  a  sullen  hog." 

I  stared  round  at  him  coldly. 

"  After  the  meeting  I  shall  ask  you  to  withdraw 
that,  Lieutenant  Gradinsk,"  and  we  did  not  exchange 
another  word  till  the  place  of  meeting  was  reached. 

We  were  the  last  to  arrive :  and  there  appeared  to 
have  been  some  doubt  as  to  whether  I  should  dare  to 
turn  up,  I  think;  for  I  caught  a  significant  gesture 
pass  between  my  opponent's  seconds. 

How  I  looked  I  know  not ;  but  I  felt  very  danger- 
ous, and  I  tried  to  be  perfectly  calm  and  self-pos- 
sessed and  natural  in  my  manner. 

"Lieutenant  Essaieff,"  I  said,  drawing  my  chief 
second  on  one  side  after  I  had  saluted  the  others. 
"There  are  two  matters  to  be  mentioned.  If  I 
should  fall,  will  you  give  this  letter  with  your  own 
hands  immediately  to  my  sister?  " 

"You  have  my  word  on  that,"  he  said,  bowing 
gravely. 

"  One  thing  more.  I  have  an  explanation  to  make 
to  my  opponent,  Major  Devinsky,  which  I  think 
should  be  made  in  the  hearing  of  all." 


40  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  An  apology  ?  "  he  asked,  with  a  slight  curl  of 
the  lip. 

"  No,  but  an  explanation  without  which  this  duel 
cannot  take  place.  Will  you  arrange  it?  " 

He  went  to  Devinsky's  seconds,  and  then  return- 
ing fetched  me  and  Gradinsk,  who  was  very  nervous. 
I  went  up  to  the  other  group  and  spoke  very  quietly 
but  firmly. 

"  Before  the  duel  takes  place,  Major  Devinsky,  I 
must  make  such  an  explanation  as  will  prevent  its 
being  fought  under  a  mistake.  I  am  a  much  more 
expert  swordsman  than  is  currently  known.  I  have 
purposely  concealed  my  skill  during  the  months  I 
have  been  in  Moscow ;  but  I  cannot  engage  with  you 
now,  without  making  the  fact  known.  I  have  indeed 
rather  drawn  you  into  this  affair,  and  I  now  desire 
you  to  join  with  me  in  declining  to  carry  the  dispute 
further.  After  this  explanation,  and  at  any  future 
time  I  shall  of  course  be  at  your  disposal." 

The  effect  of  this  short  speech  was  pretty  much 
what  might  have  been  expected.  All  the  men 
thought  I  was  trying  to  get  out  of  the  fight  by  im- 
pudent bragging,  and  Devinsky's  seconds  laughed 
sneeringly. 

I  turned  away  as  I  finished  speaking,  but  a  minute 
later,  Essaieff  brought  me  a  message — and  the  con- 
tempt rang  in  his  tone  as  he  delivered  it. 

"Major  Devinsky's  reply  to  your  extraordinary 
request  is  this :  The  only  terms  on  which  he  will  let 
you  off  the  fight  are  an  unconditional  compliance 
with  the  condition  he  has  already  named  to  you. 
What  is  your  answer?  " 

"We  will  fight,"  I  replied  shortly;  and  forthwith 
threw  off  my  coat  and  vest  and  made  ready. 

I  eyed  my  antagonist  with  the  keenest  vigilance 


The  Duel  41 

during  the  minute  or  two  the  seconds  took  in  placing 
us,  and  I  saw  a  certain  boastful  confidence  in  his 
looks  and  a  swagger  in  his  manner,  which  were  elo- 
quent of  the  cheap  contempt  in  which  he  held  me — a 
sentiment  that  was  shared  by  all  present. 

My  second,  Essaieff,  manifestly  did  not  like  his 
task ;  but  he  did  everything  in  a  workmanlike  way 
which  shewed  me  he  knew  well  what  he  was  about, 
and  in  a  very  short  time  our  swords  were  crossed 
and  we  had  the  word  to  engage. 

An  ugly  glint  in  the  major's  eyes  told  me  he  had 
come  out  to  kill  if  he  could;  and  the  manner  in 
which  he  pressed  the  fight  from  the  outset  shewed 
me  that  he  thought  he  could  finish  it  off  straight  away. 

He  was  a  good  swordsman :  I  could  tell  that  the 
instant  our  blades  touched :  and  he  had  one  or  two 
pretty  tricks  which  wanted  watching  and  would  be 
sure  to  have  very  ugly  consequences  for  anyone 
whose  eye  and  wrist  were  less  quick  than  his  own. 
As  he  fought  I  could  readily  see  how  he  had  gained 
his  big  reputation  and  had  so  often  left  the  field  vic- 
torious after  only  a  few  minutes'  fighting. 

But  he  was  not  to  be  compared  with  me.  In  two 
minutes  I  knew  precisely  his  tactics  and  at  every 
point  I  could  outfight  him.  I  had  no  need  even  to 
exert  myself.  After  a  few  passes,  all  my  old  love  of 
the  art  came  back  to  me  and  all  my  old  skill ;  and 
when  he  made  his  deadliest  and  trickiest  lunges  I 
parried  them  without  an  effort,  and  could  have  count- 
ered with  fatal  effect. 

I  wished  to  get  the  fullest  measure  of  his  skill, 
however,  and  for  this  reason  did  not  attempt  to  touch 
him  for  some  minutes.  Then  an  idea  occurred  to 
me.  I  would  prove  to  the  men  with  us  that  I  had 
no  real  wish  to  avoid  the  fight.  Intentionally  I  let 


42  By  Right  of  Sword 

my  adversary  touch  my  left  arm,  drawing  a  littlt 
blood. 

They  stopped  us  instantly;  and  then  came  the 
question  whether  enough  had  been  done  to  satisfy 
the  demands  of  honour.  Had  I  chosen,  I  could  with- 
out actual  cowardice  have  declared  the  thing  finished  : 
but  I  intended  them  all  to  understand  that  I  had  to 
the  full  as  keen  an  appetite  as  my  opponent  for  the 
business.  I  was  peremptory  therefore  in  my  demand 
to  go  on. 

In  the  pause  I  made  my  plan.  I  would  cover  my 
adversary  with  ridicule  by  outfencing  him  at  all 
points :  play  with  him,  in  fact ;  and  give  him  a  hun- 
dred little  skin  wounds  to  shew  him  and  the  rest  how 
completely  he  had  been  at  my  mercy. 

I  did  it  with  consummate  ease.  My  sword  point 
played  round  him  as  an  electric  spark  will  dart  about 
a  magnet,  and  he  was  like  a  child  in  his  feeble  efforts 
to  follow  its  dazzling  swiftness.  Scarcely  had  we 
engaged  before  I  had  flicked  a  piece  of  skin  from  his 
cheek.  The  next  time  it  was  from  his  sword  arm. 
Then  from  his  neck,  and  after  that  from  his  other 
cheek ;  until  there  was  no  part  of  his  flesh  in  view 
which  had  not  a  drop  of  blood  to  mark  that  my  sword 
point  had  been  there.  The  man  was  mad  with 
baffled  and  impotent  rage. 

Then  I  put  an  end  to  it.  After  the  last  rest  I  put 
the  whole  of  my  energy  and  skill  into  my  play,  and 
pressed  him  so  hard  that  any  one  of  the  onlookers 
could  see  I  could  have  run  him  through  the  heart 
half  a  dozen  times :  and  at  the  end  of  it  I  dis- 
armed him  with  a  wrench  that  was  like  to  break 
his  wrist. 

To  do  the  man  justice,  he  had  pluck.  He  made 
sure  I  meant  to  kill  him.  but  he  faced  me  resolutely 


The  Duel  43 

enough  when  I  raised  my  sword  and  put  the  point 
right  at  his  heart. 

"  One  word,"  said  I,  sternly.  "  I  have  put  this 
indignity  on  you  because  of  the  insolent  message 
you  sent  to  me  by  Lieutenant  Essaieff.  But  for  that 
I  would  simply  have  disarmed  you  at  once  and  made 
an  end  of  the  thing.  Now,  remember  me  by  this 
.  .  .  . "  I  raised  my  sword  and  struck  him  with  the 
flat  side  of  it  across  the  face,  leaving  an  ugly  red 
trail. 

Then  I  turned  on  my  heel  and  went  to  where  my 
seconds  stood,  lost  in  staring  amazement  at  what  I 
had  done.  I  put  on  my  clothes  in  silence ;  and  as  I 
glanced  about  me  I  saw  that  the  scene  had  created  a 
powerful  impression  upon  everybody  present. 

All  men  are  irresistibly  influenced  by  skill  such  as 
I  had  shewn  under  circumstances  of  the  kind ;  and 
the  utter  humbling  of  a  bully  who  had  ridden  rcugh- 
shod  over  the  whole  regiment  was  agreeable  enough 
now  that  it  had  been  accomplished.  My  own  evil 
character  was  forgotten  in  the  fact  that  I  had  beaten 
the  man  who  had  beaten  everybody  else  and  traded 
on  his  deadly  reputation. 

Lieutenant  Essaieff  came  to  me  as  I  was  turning 
to  leave  the  place  alone.  He  gave  me  back  the  ktter 
I  had  entrusted  to  him,  and  after  a  momentary  hesita- 
tion, said : — 

"  Petrovitch,  I  did  you  an  injustice,  and  I  am  sorry 
for  it.  I  thought  you  were  afraid,  and  I  had  no  idea 
that  you  had  anything  like  such  pluck  and  skill.  I 
believed  you  were  blustering ;  and  I  apologise  to  vou 
for  the  way  in  which  I  brought  Devinsky's  message. 
But  for  what  happened  last  night  in  your  rooms  " — 
and  he  drew  himself  up  as  he  spoke — "  I  am  at  your 
service  if  you  desire  it." 


44  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  I'd  much  rather  breakfast  than  fight  with  you  to- 
morrow morning,  Essaieff,  if  you  won't  think  me  9 
coward  for  crying  off  the  encounter." 

"  After  this  morning  no  one  will  ever  call  you  a 
coward ; "  said  he ;  and  I  think  he  was  a  good  deal 
relieved  at  not  having  to  stand  in  front  of  a  sword 
which  could  do  what  mine  had  just  done.  "  Shall 
we  drive  back  together?  " 

We  saluted  the  others  ceremoniously,  my  late  an- 
tagonist scowling  very  angrily  as  he  made  an  abrupt 
and  formal  gesture.  Then  I  snubbed  Gradinsk,  who 
looked  very  white,  remembering  what  I  had  said  to 
him  when  driving  to  the  ground;  and  Lieutenant 
Essaieff  and  I  left  together. 

"  How  is  it  we  have  all  been  so  mistaken  in  you, 
Petrovitch  ? "  asked  my  companion  when  we  had 
lighted  our  cigarettes. 

"  How  is  it  that  I  have  been  so  mistaken  in  you?  " 
I  retorted.  "  I  chose  to  take  my  own  way,  that's  all. 
I  wished  to  know  the  relish  of  the  reputation  for 
cowardice,  if  you  like.  I  have  never  been  out  before 
in  Moscow,  as  you  know;  and  have  never  had  to 
shew  what  I  could  do  with  either  sword  or  pistol. 
Nor  did  I  seek  this  quarrel.  But  because  I  have 
never  fought  till  I  was  compelled,  that  does  not  mean 
that  I  can't  fight  when  I  am  compelled.  But  the 
truth's  out  now,  and  it  may  as  well  all  be  known. 
Come  to  my  rooms  for  five  minutes  before  breakfast 
— I  am  going  to  my  sister's  to  breakfast — and  I'll 
shew  you  what  I  can  do  with  the  pistols.  It  may 
prevent  anyone  making  the  mistake  of  choosing 
those  should  there  be  any  more  of  this  morning's 
work  to  do." 

"  I  hope  you  can  keep  your  head,"  he  said,  after 
a  pause.  "  You'll  be  about  the  most  popular  man  in 


The  Duel  45 

the  whole  regiment  after  to-day's  business.  I  don't 
believe  there's  a  more  hated  man  in  the  whole  city 
than  Devinsky;  and  everyone's  sure  to  love  you  for 
making  him  bite  the  dust.  I  suppose  you're  coming 
to  the  ball  at  the  Zemliczka  Palace  to-night.  You'll 
be  the  lion. " 

There  was  a  touch  of  envy  in  his  voice,  I  think, 
and  he  smiled  when  I  answered  indifferently  that  I 
had  not  decided.  As  a  fact  I  didn't  know  whether 
I  had  any  invitation  or  not,  so  that  my  indifference 
was  by  no  means  feigned. 

When  we  reached  my  rooms  I  took  him  in  and  as 
I  wished  to  noise  abroad  so  far  as  possible  the  fact 
of  my  skill  with  weapons,  I  shewed  him  some  of  the 
trick  shots  I  had  learnt.  Pistol  shooting  had  been 
with  me,  as  I  have  said,  quite  a  passion  at  one  time 
and  I  had  practised  until  I  could  hit  anything  within 
range,  either  stationary  or  moving.  More  than  that, 
I  was  an  expert  in  the  reflection  shot — shooting  over 
my  shoulder  at  a  mark  I  could  see  reflected  in  a 
mirror  held  in  front  of  me.  Indeed  there  was 
scarcely  a  trick  with  the  pistol  which  I  did  not  know 
and  had  not  practised. 

The  lieutenant  had  not  words  enough  to  express 
his  amazement  and  admiration;  and  when  I  sent  him 
away  after  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  shooting  such 
as  he  had  never  seen,  he  was  reduced  to  a  condition 
of  speechless  wonder. 

Then  I  dressed  carefully,  having  bathed  and  at- 
tended to  the  light  wound  on  my  arm,  and  set  out  to 
relieve  my  "sister's  "  suspense  and  keep  my  appoint- 
ment for  breakfast.  I  found  myself  thinking  pleas- 
antly of  the  pretty,  kindly  little  face  of  the  girl,  and 
when  I  saw  a  light  of  infinite  relief  and  gladness 
sparkle  in  her  eyes  at  sight  of  me  safe  and  sound  and 


46  By  Right  of  Sword 

punctual,  I  experienced  a  much  more  gratifying  sen. 
sation  than  I  had  expected. 

Her  face  was  somewhat  white  and  drawn  and  her 
eyes  hollow,  telling  of  a  sleepless,  anxious  night; 
and  she  grasped  my  hand  so  warmly  and  was  so 
moved,  that  I  could  not  fail  to  see  that  she  had  been 
worrying  lest  trouble  had  come  to  me  through  her 
action  of  the  previous  day. 

"You  haven't  had  so  much  sleep  as  I  have,  Olga," 
I  said,  lightly. 

"Are  you  really  safe,  quite  safe,  and  unhurt? 
And  have  you  really  been  mad  enough  to  go  out  and 
fight  that  man?  Oh,  I  could  not  sleep  a  wink  all 
night  for  thinking  of  you  and  of  the  cruel  gleam  I 
have  seen  in  his  eyes."  And  she  covered  her  face 
with  her  hands  and  shivered. 

"Getting  up  early  in  the  morning  always  gives  me 
an  unconscionable  appetite,  Olga.  I  thought  you 
knew  that,"  said  I  lightly  and  with  a  laugh.  "  But 
I  see  no  breakfast ;  and  that's  hardly  sisterly,  you 
know." 

"It's  all  in  the  next  room  ready,"  she  answered, 
leading  the  way.  "  But  tell  me  the  news : "  and  her 
face  was  all  aglow  with  eager  inquiry. 

"  I  had  no  difficulty  with  Major  Devinsky.  As  I 
anticipated  he  was  no  sort  of  a  match  for  me  at  that 
business.  I'm  not  bragging,  but  I've  been  trained 
in  a  totally  different  school,  and — well,  the  beggar 
never  had  a  chance." 

She  smiled  then,  and  her  eyes  danced  in  gladness,, 
but  as  suddenly  grew  grave  again.  Wonderfully  tell- 
tale eyes  they  were ! 

"  What  about — I  mean — is  he  hurt  ?  " 

"  No,  not  much.  Nothing  serious.  His  quarrel 
wasn't  with  me,  you  see,  so  I  couldn't  kill  him  or 


The  Duel  47 

wound  him  seriously.  But  you'll  hear  probably  from 
others  what  happened." 

"  I  want  to  hear  from  you,  please.  You  promised 
the  news  at  first  hand,  remember." 

"Well,  I  played  rather  a  melodrama,  I  fear.  I 
managed  to  snick  him  in  a  number  of  places  till  he's 
pitted  a  good  deal.  I  gave  him  a  lesson  for  having 
treated  you  in  that  way  and  also  for  his  insolence  to 
me.  Besides,  I  wished  to  make  a  bit  of  an  impres- 
sion on  the  other  men  there.  He  won't  trouble  us 
again,  I  fancy." 

"  He's  dangerous,  Alexis :  mind  that.  Very 
dangerous.  But,  oh,  I'm  so  glad  it's  all  over  and 
you're  safe  and  sound — And  here's  your  favourite 
dish — though  you  don't  know  what  it  is." 

"  I  don't  care  what  it  is.  I'll  take  whatever  you 
give  me  on  trust."  At  that  she  glanced  at  me  and 
coloured,  and  hung  her  head. 

She  was  very  pretty  indeed  when  the  colour  glowed 
in  her  cheeks,  and  as  a  rather  long  silence  followed 
I  had  plenty  of  time  to  observe  her.  She  made  a 
most  captivating  little  hostess,  too ;  and  I  began  to 
feel  that  if  I  had  had  a  sister  of  my  own  like  her, 
I  should  have  been  remarkably  fond  of  her,  and 
perhaps — who  can  tell  ? — a  very  different  man  my- 
self. 

"  By  the  way,  there's  one  thing  you  must  be  care- 
ful to  say,"  I  said,  breaking  a  long  pause  that  was 
getting  embarrassing.  "  You  will  probably  be  asked 
whether  you  knew  that  I  was  an  expert  with  the 
sword  and  pistol  and  was  purposely  concealing  my 
skill  from  the  men  here  in  Moscow.  That's  what 
I've  said,  and  it  may  be  as  well  that  you  should  seem 
to  have  known  it.  A  brother  and  sister  should  have 
no  secrets  from  each  other,  you  know  " 


48  By  Right  of  Sword 

She  shook  her  head  at  me  and,  with  a  smile  and 
in  a  tone  of  mock  reproach,  said : 

"  You  haven't  always  thought  that,  Alexis." 

"It's  never  too  late  to  mend,"  returned  I.  "And 
I'll  promise  for  the  future,  if  you  like — so  long  as 
the  relationship  lasts,  that  is." 

To  that  she  made  no  answer,  and  when  she  spoke 
again  she  had  changed  the  subject. 

We  chatted  very  pleasantly  during  breakfast,  and 
I  asked  her  presently  about  the  dance  at  the  Zem- 
liczka  Palace.  She  was  going  to  it,  she  said,  and 
told  me  that  I  had  also  accepted. 

"Can  a  brother  and  sister  dance  together,  Olga?" 
I  asked. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  replied,  playing  with  the 
point  as  though  it  were  some  grave  matter  of  diplo- 
macy. "  I  have  never  had  to  consider  the  question 
practically,  because  you  have  never  asked  me,  Alexis 
But  I  think  they  might  sit  out  together,"  and  with 
the  laugh  that  accompanied  that  sentence  ringing  in 
my  ears,  like  the  refrain  of  a  sweet  song,  we  parted 
to  meet  again  at  the  ball 


CHAPTER  V. 

GETTING    DEEPER. 

THE  news  that  I  had  beaten  Devinsky,  had  played 
with  him  like  a  cat  with  a  bird,  spread  like  a  forest 
fire.  Essaieff  was  right  enough  in  his  forecast  that 
everyone  would  be  delighted  at  the  major's  overthrow. 
But  the  notoriety  which  the  achievement  brought  me 
was  not  at  all  unlikely  to  prove  a  source  of  embarrass- 
ment. 

I  should  be  a  marked  man,  and  everything  I  did 
would  be  sure  to  be  closely  observed.  Any  gross 
blunder  made  in  my  new  character  would  be  the  more 
certainly  seen,  and  would  thus  be  all  the  more  likely 
to  lead  to  my  discovery. 

There  were  of  course  a  thousand  things  I  ought  to 
know ;  hundreds  of  acts  that  I  had  no  doubt  been  in 
the  habit  of  doing  regularly — and  thus  any  number 
of  pitfalls  lay  gaping  right  under  my  feet. 

My  difficulties  began  at  once  with  my  regimental 
duties.  I  did  not  know  even  my  brother  officers  by 
sight,  to  say  nothing  of  the  men.  The  fact  that  the 
real  Alexis  had  not  been  very  long  with  the  regiment 
would  of  course  help  me  somewhat  in  regard  to  this ; 
as  it  was  quite  conceivable  that  having  been  very  in- 
different to  my  duties  and  anything  but  a  zealous 
officer,  I  might  not  have  got  to  know  the  men.  But 
I  was  just  as  ignorant  of  the  regimental  routine, 
which  ought  to  be  a  matter  of  course.  I  had  ques- 
4 


5<*  By  Right  of  Sword 

tioned  Olga  on  every  detail  and  drawn  from  her  all 
that  she  knew — and  she  was  surprisingly  quick  witted 
and  well  informed  on  the  subject — and  I  had  of 
course  my  own  limited  military  experience  to  back 
me ;  but  I  lacked  completely  that  familiarity  which 
only  actual  practice  could  give.  This  difficulty  gave 
me  much  thought  and  I  am  bound  to  say  amused  me 
immensely.  The  way  out  that  I  chose  was  a  mixture 
of  impudence  and  eccentricity;  and  I  relied  on  the 
reputation  I  had  suddenly  made  for  myself  as  a 
swordsman  being  sufficient  to  silence  criticism. 

I  went  back  to  my  rooms,  and  while  there  a  man- 
servant whom  Essaieff  had  promised  to  send  me, 
arrived.  I  would  not  have  one  from  the  ranks,  but 
chose  a  civilian  that  had  been  a  soldier;  and  under 
the  guise  of  questioning  his  present  knowledge  of 
military  matters,  dress,  etc.,  I  drew  out  of  him 
particulars  of  the  uniforms  I  ought  to  wear  on  differ- 
ent occasions,  the  places  and  times  of  all  regimental 
duties,  and — what  was  of  even  more  importance — a 
rough  idea  of  the  actual  duties  which  fell  to  the  share 
of  Lieutenant  Alexis  Petrovitch. 

That  was  enough  for  me.  I  dressed  and  went  to 
head-quarters,  resolved  to  see  the  Colonel,  and  on 
the  plea  of  indisposition  ask  to  be  excused  from  duty 
on  that  and  the  following  day.  To  my  surprise — for 
I  had  heard  from  Olga  that  I  stood  very  low  down  in 
Colonel  Kapriste's  estimation — I  was  received  with 
especial  cordiality  and  favour.  His  greeting  was  in- 
deed effusive.  He  granted  my  request  at  once,  said 
I  could  take  a  week  if  I  liked,  after  my  hard  work, 
and  declared  that  I  must  take  great  care  of  myself 
for  the  sake  of  the  regiment.  Then  he  pressed  me 
to  wait  until  he  had  finished  his  regimental  work  as 
he  wished  to  talk  to  me. 


Getting  Deeper  51 

What  he  wanted  was  an  account  of  the  duel,  and 
a  very  few  minutes  shewed  me  that  if  he  was  no 
friend  of  mine,  he  was  a  strong  enemy  of  the  man  I 
had  fought.  He  questioned  me  also  as  to  the  change 
in  my  appearance,  why  I  had  shaved  my  beard  and 
moustache,  what  excuse  I  had  to  give  for  having 
been  out  without  my  uniform  on  the  previous  day ; 
and  my  blunt  reply  that  I  had  had  an  accident  and 
hoped  I  was  master  of  my  own  features,  and  that  if 
my  uniform  was  burnt  it  was  more  becoming  for  an 
officer  to  be  in  mufti  than  naked,  drew  from  him 
nothing  more  than  the  significant  retort  that  he 
hoped  I  had  changed  as  much  in  other  respects. 
Then  he  turned  curious  to  know  where  I  had  learnt 
to  use  the  sword,  and  who  was  the  fencing  master 
that  had  taught  me ;  and  I  turned  the  point  with  a 
laugh — that  Major  Devinsky's  evil  genie  conferred 
the  gift  on  me,  as  they  were  not  ready  yet  below  to 
take  charge  of  the  major's  soul. 

He  was  so  delighted  with  my  success  over  the 
man  whom  he  evidently  hated,  that  he  let  my  im- 
pertinence pass ;  but  I  could  see  that  the  two  aides 
who  were  present,  were  as  much  astonished  at  my 
conduct  as  at  the  Colonel's  reception  of  it. 

But  it  was  of  great  service  to  me.  It  emphasized 
the  complete  change  in  me ;  and  I  left  with  a  feeling 
of  intense  satisfaction  that  the  difficulties  of  the  posi- 
tion were  proving  much  less  formidable  when  faced 
than  they  had  seemed  in  anticipation. 

I  went  next  to  the  exercise  ground  and  watched 
with  the  closest  scrutiny  everything  that  took  place. 
Now  and  again  one  or  other  of  the  officers  came  up 
to  me ;  and  to  all  alike  I  adopted  an  attitude  of  cold 
and  stolid  impassiveness.  This  was  my  safe  course. 
I  knew  that  Alexis  had  hitherto  been  up»~~^lar  with 


52  By  Right  of  Sword 

tlie  whole  regiment,  except  perhaps  one  or  two  of  the 
worst  and  wildest  fellows;  and  I  judged  that  any  ap- 
proaches made  now  were  rather  out  of  deference  to 
the  dangerous  skill  I  had  suddenly  developed  than 
to  any  old  familiarity.  In  most  cases  I  could  there- 
fore quite  safely  appear  to  resent  old  neglect  and  so 
repulse  any  present  advances. 

"You're  not  at  drill,  this  morning,  Petrovitch," 
said  one. 

I  gave  him  a  stony,  stolid  stare. 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  am  here,"  I  answered,  turn- 
ing away. 

"  I  mean,  you're  not  drilling,"  he  said,  with  a 
feeble  laugh. 

"  I  have  already  been  out  this  morning,"  I  returned, 
giving  him  another  most  unpleasant  look.  "  Do  you 
mean  that  you  want  to  drill  with  me?  "  I  stared  him 
out  of  countenance  until  the  feeble  laugh  which  he 
repeated  had  passed  from  his  face,  and  with  a  mut- 
tered excuse  he  went  back  to  his  men. 

This  sort  of  thing  with  variations  in  my  hard  un- 
pleasantness happened  several  times  while  I  remained 
on  the  ground ;  and  before  I  left  I  had  managed  to 
stamp  the  impression  pretty  clearly  on  my  fellow- 
officers  generally  that  it  would  be  best  not  to  inter- 
fere with  me.  This  was  just  what  I  wished. 

At  the  club,  where  I  went  after  leaving  the  exer- 
cise ground,  there  were  several  of  the  men  whom  I 
had  so  insulted  on  the  previous  night.  I  was  in 
truth  rather  sorry  that  I  had  made  such  a  cad  of  my- 
self ;  since  that  was  not  the  sort  of  character  I  saw 
now  I  could  construct  out  of  the  composite  materials 
of  the  two  very  different  careers  and  persons  that 
were  now  to  be  blended. 

My  reputation  was   made    already,  and   I   found 


Getting  Deeper  55 

everywhere  some  evidences  of  the  advantages  it 
carried.  More  than  one  of  those  who  on  the  night 
before  had  been  most  profuse  in  their  expressions  of 
contempt  for  me  were  now  obviously  very  ill  at  ease ; 
and  some  of  them  were  unquestionably  expecting  me 
to  take  a  strong  course.  But  I  spoke  to  no  one ;  and 
merely  returned  a  curt  and  formal  acknowledgment 
of  any  greetings  made  to  me. 

After  a  time  Lieutenant  Essaieff  came  in,  and  I 
noticed  not  without  satisfaction  that  as  soon  as  he 
saw  I  was  in  the  place  he  came  across  to  me. 

"  I  hear  you  have  made  a  remarkable  conversion 
Petrovitch." 

"Yes?" 

"Old  Saltpetre,  I  mean.  Cruladoff  told  me  and 
said  he  could  scarcely  believe  his  own  eyes  and  ears 
when  you  and  that  old  martinet  were  chumming  to- 
gether like  a  couple  of  young  subs.  He  swears  that 
a  man  has  been  cashiered  before  now  for  saying  a 
good  deal  less  than  you  said."  I  saw  he  was  refer- 
ring to  the  Chief,  so  I  made  a  shot. 

"  It's  not  much  of  a  secret  what  he  thinks  of  De- 
vinsky." 

"  Do  you  really  know  the  story,  then  ?  Why,  you 
told  me  last  week  that  you  didn't. " 

"  I  didn't  know  a  good  deal  then  that  I  know  now," 
I  returned  drily. 

"Neither  did  we,"  he  answered  significantly. 
"  Any  way  the  old  boy  swears  by  you  now ;  and  after 
you'd  left  this  morning  went  on  in  a  fine  strain  to 
the  two  aides,  praising  you  sky  high.  By  Gad,  if 
the  war  really  comes  you'll  be  in  luck,  and  get  every 
bit  of  daredevil  work  the  old  Salamander  can  thrust 
your  way.  Hullo,  Cruladoff !  "  he  broke  off  as  one 
of  the  men  I  had  seen  that  morning  with  the  Chief 


54  By  Right  of  Sword 

came  up.  "  I  was  just  telling  Petrovitch  what  you 
told  me." 

Some  others  joined  us  then,  and  though  I  held 
myself  in  the  strongest  reserve,  I  exchanged  a  few 
words  with  one  or  two.  What  was  of  great  import- 
ance, moreover,  I  learnt  to  know  a  number  of  my 
comrades  by  sight  and  name. 

My  actions  were  all  carefully  studied.  I  spoke 
very  little  indeed;  never  dropped  a  word  that  had 
even  a  suggestion  of  boastfulness  in  it,  and  only  an- 
swered when  any  man  chose  to  address  me.  I  knew 
from  what  Olga  had  told  me  that  I  was  with  some  of 
the  best  men  in  the  regiment — those  who  hitherto 
had  held  me  in  the  poorest  esteem — and  I  was  scru- 
pulously careful  that  in  my  outward  demeanour  there 
should  now  be  nothing  whatever  to  cause  offence.  I 
would  allow  no  man  to  interfere  with  or  even  criticise 
me — but  on  my  side  I  would  interfere  with  none. 
The  eccentricity  that  was  to  cover  my  ignorance 
should  be  defensive  armour  only. 

In  this  manner  I  carried  myself  through  the  diffi- 
culties of  that  day;  and  it  was  indeed  easy  enough. 
I  found  most  of  my  comrades  only  too  ready  to  be 
civil  rather  than  suspicious;  and  the  extraordinary 
success  of  the  morning  set  them  on  the  look  out  for 
further  eccentricities  and  peculiarities.  A  man  who 
could  successfully  conceal  the  possession  of  such  ex- 
traordinary skill  with  sword  and  pistol,  might  be 
expected  to  have  any  number  of  surprises  in  store; 
and  no  one  was  in  any  hurry  to  ask  the  reason  for 
the  concealment. 

The  fame  of  my  achievement  affected  even  the 
men  who  came  to  have  their  debts  paid  that  afternoon 
and  evening ;  and  the  money  lender — a  scurvy  wretch 
of  the  lowest  type — was  so  frightened  and  trembled 


Getting  Deeper  55 

so  violently  when  I  asked  him  how  he  dared  to  send 
me  threatening  letters,  that  he  could  scarcely  sign 
his  receipt.  The  whole  of  them  were  certainly  pro- 
foundly astonished  at  getting  their  money;  and 
probably  I  should  not  have  paid  a  kopeck,  but  for  a 
change  in  my  intentions  that  had  begun  to  affect  me. 

I  liked  the  promise  of  the  new  life  for  which  I  had 
exchanged  my  old  and  empty  career ;  and  I  had  begun 
to  consider  whether,  instead  of  leaving  when  my 
passport  came,  I  should  not  remain  where  I  was  and 
continue  to  be  Lieutenant  Alexis  Petrovitch  of  the 
Moscow  Infantry  Regiment. 

I  had  already  done  much  to  earn  a  title  to  the 
position.  I  had  saved  the  real  man's  body  by  help- 
ing him  over  the  frontier;  I  had  saved  his  honour  by 
fighting  his  duel  for  him;  I  had  made  his  sister 
pretty  safe  from  further  molestation  at  Devinsky's 
hands ;  I  had  created  quite  a  new  Alexis  Petrovitch 
in  the  regiment ;  and  now  I  had  paid  the  beggar's 
debts. 

Obviously  I  could  play  the  part  a  good  deal  better 
than  he  could,  and  therefore — why  not  continue  to 
play  it  ?  T-^sa  was  plenty  of  danger  in  it.  Siberia 
at  least,  if  it  was  discovered  that  I  had  been  person- 
ating a  Russian  officer  and  fighting  duels  in  his 
name.  But  I  cared  nothing  for  that.  If  it  threat- 
ened me,  it  had  its  compensations ;  since  it  made  it 
quite  impossible  for  the  real  Alexis  ever  to  return 
and  claim  his  position,  even  if  he  wished. 

I  had  intended  to  fight  for  Russia  in  any  event, 
supposing  the  war  came ;  and  if  I  fell  in  some  battle 
it  would  not  matter  in  the  least  how  my  grave  was 
ticketed.  It  might  save  me  no  end  of  trouble,  more- 
over, if  I  took  the  good  the  gods  gave  me  without 
bothering  any  more  about  volunteering: 


56  By  Right  of  Sword 

The  more  I  thought  of  it  as  I  sat  and  smoked  by 
myself,  the  firmer  became  my  resolve  just  to  float 
with  the  stream  and  remain  what  I  was,  till  chance 
discovered  me,  if  ever  it  did. 

I  had  probably  got  over  the  worst  danger  by  my 
impudence,  my  knack  of  fighting,  and  the  extraordi- 
nary resemblance  to  my  other  self;  and  already  I 
could  see  my  way  through  many  of  the  difficulties, 
so  far  as  the  regiment  was  concerned. 

Moreover,  I  am  bound  to  admit  I  liked  the  part. 
I  had  never  had  such  a  chance  before ;  and  if  all  the 
truth  must  be  told,  my  vanity  was  not  altogether 
proof  against  the  sensation  I  was  creating.  I  had 
had  such  a  run  of  bad  luck  for  the  past  few  years, 
that  a  change  was  welcome. 

By  the  time  my  reverie  was  finished,  therefore,  I 
had  more  than  half  resolved  to  be  Hamylton  Tre- 
gethner  no  more.  Then  it  was  time  to  dress  for  the 
ball  at  the  Zemliczka  Palace ;  and  I  was  snob  enough 
— I  can  call  it  nothing  but  sheer  snobbery — so  t« 
time  my  entrance  into  the  rooms  as  to  cause  as  much 
sensation  as  possible.  Though  outwardly  calm  an<£ 
quite  impassive,  I  am  positively  ashamed  to  say  ^ 
enjoyed  the  ripple  of  comment  which  I  saw  pass 
from  lip  to  lip,  and  the  evident  interest  which  I 
awakened. 

At  the  same  time  natters  were  within  an  ace  of 
being  very  awkward.  Any  number  of  people  came 
forward  to  speak  to  me,  all  of  whom  manifestly  ex- 
pected I  should  know  them  both  by  name  and  by 
sight.  I  had  one  greeting  for  all :  cold,  impassive, 
oninterested,  though  there  were  a  number  of  very 
handsome  women  with  whom  I  should  have  been  glad 
to  chat,  if  I  could  have  done  so  safely.  But  I  dared 
not 


r  Getting  Deeper  57 

Indeed,  the  women  worried  me  more  than  enough. 
The  men  I  could  stave  off  and  keep  at  a  distance 
easily;  for  in  truth  they  all  seemed  shy  of  forcing 
themselves  on  me ; — but  the  women  wanted  to  com- 
pel me  to  take  notice  of  them  and  were  not  to  be  put 
off  by  any  excuse  or  shift.  How  many  I  ought  to 
have  known ;  with  how  many  I  had  had  flirtations,  I 
of  course  had  not  the  remotest  idea.  I  was  thus 
very  glad  when  a  chance  of  escape  came  with  the 
entrance  of  Olga,  who  arrived  with  her  aunt.  The 
latter  was  rather  a  good  looking  woman,  I  thought ; 
and  I  got  away  from  the  other  people  on  the  plea  of 
having  to  go  and  speak  to  the  two. 

"  Well,  aunt,  what  do  you  think  .  .  .  ." 

"  Aunt  ?  "  exclaimed  Olga's  companion,  looking  at 
me  with  unmistakable  anger. 

My  sister  flashed  a  quick  danger  signal  at  me.  I 
had  blundered  badly. 

"Alexis,  your  joke  is  very  ill-timed,"  she  said, 
severely.  "  You  should  know  the  Countess  Krapo- 
tine  better  than  to  suppose  that  your  barrack-yard 
jibes  would  be  welcome. " 

"  I  hope  the  Countess  Krapotine  knows  there  is  no 
one  in  all  Moscow  whose  good  will  I  prize  more 
highly  and  would  lose  more  unwillingly  than  hers. 
It  was  a  silly  jest :  and  was  prompted  only  by  a  de- 
sire to  claim  even  a  passing  relationship  with  one 
whom  Moscow  delights  to  honour.  Her  kindness  to 
you,  Olga,  makes  her  kin  to  me." 

"You  are  always  a  little  hard  on  your  brother, 
Olga,"  said  the  Countess,  whom  I  had  mistaken  for 
an  aunt  many  years  older  and  infinitely  ugly.  But 
the  matter  passed,  and  as  I  did  not  care  to  stop  and 
talk  with  them  for  too  long,  I  left  them  after  arrang- 
ing which  dances  I  was  to  sit  out  with  my  sister.  I 


58  By  Right  of  Sword 

did  not  dance  with  anyone :  but  contented  myself 
with  lounging  about,  observing  what  was  going  on. 
I  had  more  than  one  little  adventure:  but  one  in 
particular  impressed  me.  I  was  leaning  against  the 
wall  near  an  archway  between  two  of  the  ball  rooms 
when  I  noticed  an  exceedingly  handsome  woman 
making  eyes  and  signs  secretly  to  some  one  near  me. 
She  was  a  remarkably  striking  woman,  tall,  dark, 
handsome,  and  passionate  looking ;  and  after  a  minute 
I  glanced  round  about  me  to  see  who  the  fortunate 
man  might  be.  Just  then  there  was  no  man  at  all 
near  me :  and  looking  furtively  at  her,  I  noticed  that 
the  signs  ceased  when  I  was  apparently  not  observ- 
ing her. 

I  looked  at  her  openly  and  they  recommenced  im- 
mediately. It  seemed  therefore  that  they  were 
meant  for  me.  I  tested  this,  until  there  was  no 
room  for  doubt :  and  I  looked  at  her  with  a  little 
more  interest,  speculating  who  she  might  be,  and 
what  she  was  to  me.  But  I  made  no  sign  that  I  knew 
her;  as  of  course  I  did  not;  and  after  a  minute  or 
two  I  moved  away,  as  it  was  time  for  me  to  go  to 
Olga. 

There  was  just  then  a  little  difficulty  in  getting 
through  the  rooms  owing  to  the  crush  of  people,  and 
presently  to  my  intense  surprise  a  very  angry  voice 
whispered  close  in  my  ear : — 

"  Beware !  " 

I  turned  at  once  and  found  it  was  the  handsome 
woman  who  had  been  signalling  to  me.  The  crowd 
had  brought  us  close  together,  and  she  was  staring 
hard  at  me,  her  face  expressive  of  both  agitation  and 
ill  temper.  I  was  amused  and  without  relaxing  my 
features  bowed  as  I  muttered : 

"I  will." 


Getting  Deeper  59 

This  answer  seemed  to  increase  her  anger,  but  at 
that  instant  another  movement  of  the  throng  sepa- 
rated us,  and  I  went  away  to  find  Olga. 

We  sat  and  chatted  and  laughed  together — especi- 
ally at  my  mistake  with  the  countess — and  presently 
glancing  up  I  saw  opposite  to  us  the  woman  who  had 
acted  the  little  bit  of  melodrama  with  me.  She  was 
eyeing  us  both  now  angrily. 

"  Who's  that  ?  "  I  asked,  pointing  her  out  to  my 
sister.  The  girl  shook  her  head  gravely. 

"  I  wish  you  didn't  know,  Alexis." 

"Oh,  do  I  know?  I've  put  my  foot  in  it  then,  I 
expect;"  and  I  told  her  what  had  happened.  She 
smiled,  and  then  shook  her  head  again,  more  gravely 
than  before. 

"  All  Moscow  knows  that  you  and  Madame  Paula 
Tueski  are  thick  friends;  and  you  ought  to  know 
that  you  have  set  many  scandalous  tongues  wagging. " 

"Well,  she's  a  very  handsome  woman,"  said  I, 
glancing  across  at  her. 

"  Your  favourite  style  of  beauty  was  always  some- 
what masculine  and  fleshly,"  said  Olga  in  a  very 
sisterly  and  very  severe  tone. 

"  Yes,  I'm  afraid  I've  not  always  admired  those 
things  I  ought  to  have  admired. " 

"  Say,  rather,  you  have  often  admired  those  things 
which  you  ought  not.  Commission,  not  emission." 

"  Well,  I've  a  new  commission  now,  and  you  gave 
it  me,"  said  I,  playing  on  her  words  and  looking 
closely  at  her.  I  took  rather  a  pleasure  in  watching 
the  colour  ebb  and  flow  in  her  bright  expressive 
face. 

She  looked  up  now,  very  steadily,  right  into  my 
eyes,  as  if  to  read  my  thoughts;  and  then  looked 
down  again  and  was  silent.  And  in  some  way  the 


lo  By  Right  of  Sword 

look  made  me  sorry  I  had  jested.  After  a  pause  she 
Bald  in  her  usual  direct  way : — 

"  We  are  wasting  time.  There  is  so  much  I  must 
yet  tell  you,  ?nd  some  of  it  is  very  disagreeable. 
You  and  I  have  quarrelled  more  than  once  about  that 
tvoman,  Paula  Tueski.  You  wished  me  to  know  her, 
and  I  would  not ;  I  wished  you  to  give  her  up,  and 
you  would  not. " 

"  I'll  do  it  at  once,"  I  said,  readily.  "  I  shall  not 
feel  the  pang.  ..." 

"  Do,  please,  be  serious,"  she  interrupted  in  her 
turn,  with  a  little  foot  tap  of  impatience,  while  a 
frown  struggled  with  a  smile  for  the  mastery  in  her 
expression.  The  smile  had  the  best  of  it  at  first,  but 
the  frown  won  in  the  end.  "  Paula  Tueski,  you  have 
often  told  me,  is  a  dangerous  woman.  As  wife  of 
the  Chief  of  the  Secret  Police  she  has  considerable 
power  and  influence;  though  to  be  candid  I  never 
could  tell  whether  you  said  this  as  an  excuse  for 
continuing  your  friendship  with  her,  or  because  you 
were  really  afraid  of  her.  You  are  not  very  brave, 
Alexis,  you  know." 

"No,  I'm  afraid  I'm  not,"  I  admitted.  "But  at 
any  rate  I  won't  try  to  force  her  on  you  for  the  future. 
I  think  I  can  promise  that." 

"She's  an  exceedingly  ambitious  woman,  and 
means  you  no  good,  Alexis,"  said  Olga,  very  ener- 
getically. "  If  you  can  give  her  up  safely  I  hope 
you  will."  She  was  very  earnest  about  this,  and  I 
was  going  to  question  her  more  closely  when  some- 
one came  up  to  claim  her  for  a  dance. 

Very  soon  after  this  I  left,  taking  care  to  keep  out 
of  the  way  of  the  woman  who  seemed  so  anxious  that 
I  should  speak  to  her.  I  remembered  the  "  P.  T."  of 
the  diary  and  of  the  correspondence ;  and  I  saw  that 


Getting  Deeper  6 1 

there  might  easily  be  some  ugly  complications  unless 
I  was  very  careful. 

I  walked  home  to  my  rooms  and  was  very  thought- 
ful on  the  way.  This  legacy  of  old  sweethearts  was 
the  most  unpleasant  feature  of  my  new  inheritance 
as  well  as  possibly  the  most  dangerous.  It  was  just 
the  kind  of  knot,  too,  that  a  sword  could  not  cut ; 
and  before  the  night  closed,  I  had  a  very  jarring 
reminder  of  this. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A   LEGACY   OF   LOVE. 

As  I  approached  the  broad  deep  doorway  of  my  house 
I  saw  a  tall  man  muffled  up,  standing  half  concealed 
in  the  shadow  of  one  of  the  pillars. 

"Who  are  you,  and  what  are  you  doing  there?  "  I 
asked  peremptorily,  stopping  and  looking  at  him. 

"What  should  I  be  doing,  but  waiting  for  Lieu- 
tenant  Petrovitch  ? "  answered  the  fellow,  stepping 
forward. 

"Well,  I  am  Lieutenant  Petrovitch.  What  do 
you  want  ? " 

"  You  are  not  the  lieutenant." 

"  Then  you  are  not  looking  for  Lieutenant  Petro- 
vitch," I  returned,  as  I  opened  my  door.  "  Be  off 
with  you."  I  spoke  firmly,  but  his  reply  had  rather 
disconcerted  me. 

Instead  of  going  he  advanced  toward  me  when  he 
saw  me  open  the  door,  and  shot  a  glance  of  surprise 
at  me. 

"  I  beg  your  honour's  pardon.  I  didn't  recognise 
you;  and  when  you  pretended  not  to  know  me,  I 
thought  it  was  someone  else.  You've  disguised 
yourself  by  that  change  in  your  face,  sir." 

There  was  a  mixture  of  servility  and  impudence 
in  the  man's  manner  which  galled  me.  He  spoke 
like  a  fawning  sponger:  and  yet  with  just  such  a 
suggestion  of  threat  and  familiarity  in  his  manner  as 


A  Legacy  of  Love  63 

might  come  from  a  low  associate  in  some  dirty  work 
which  he  thought  gave  him  a  hold  over  me. 

"What  is  it  you  want?"  I  spoke  as  sternly  as 
before ;  and  the  fellow  cringed  and  bowed  as  he  an- 
swered with  the  same  suggestion  of  familiar  insolence. 

"  What  have  I  waited  here  five  hours  for  but  to 
speak  to  your  lordship  privately — waited,  as  I  always 
do,  patiently.  It's  safer  inside,  lieutenant." 

"  Come  in,  then."  It  was  clearly  best  for  me  to 
know  all  he  had  to  say. 

As  soon  as  we  were  inside  and  I  had  turned  up 
the  lights  I  placed  him  close  to  the  biggest  of  them; 
and  a  more  villainous,  hangdog  looking  rascal  I  neveh 
wish  to  see.  A  redhaired,  dirty,  cunning,  drinking 
Jew  of  the  lowest  class ;  with  lies  and  treachery  and 
deceit  written  on  every  feature  and  gesture.  The 
only  thing  truthful  about  him  was  the  evidence  of 
character  stamped  on  his  self -convicting  appearance. 

"  I  wonder  what  you  are  to  me,"  I  thought  as  I 
scanned  him  closely,  his  flinty  shifting  eyes  darting 
everywhere  to  escape  my  gaze. 

"Well,  what  do  you  want?  I'm  about  sick  of 
you."  A  quick  lifting  of  the  head  and  eyebrows  let 
a  questioning  glance  of  mingled  malice,  hate,  and 
menace  dart  up  into  my  face. 

"Lieutenant,  your  child  is  starving  and  his  mother 
also;  and  I,  her  father,  am  tired  of  working  my 
fingers  to  the  bone  to  maintain  them  both." 

"  What  are  you  working  at  now?  "  I  asked  with  a 
sneer.  I  spoke  in  this  way  to  hide  my  unpleasant 
surprise  at  the  unsavoury  news  that  lay  behind  his 
words.  The  more  I  looked  at  him  the  more  was  I 
impressed  with  a  conviction  of  his  rascality :  but  the 
fact  that  he  was  a  scoundrel  did  not  at  all  exclude 
the  possibility  that  some  ugly  episode  concerning  me 


By  Right  of  Sword 
lay  behind.     On  the  contrary  it  increased  the  proh 


ability. 
"I've 


Ve  not  come  to  talk  about  my  work,  but  to  get 
money,"  said  my  visitor  in  a  surly  tone.  "And 
money  I  must  have." 

"  Blackmail,"  was  my  instant  conclusion :  and  my 
line  of  conduct  was  as  promptly  taken.  There  is 
but  one  way  to  take  with  blackmailers — crush  them. 

"  Did  you  understand  what  I  said  just  now?  I  am 
sick  of  you  and  your  ways,  and  I  have  done  with 
you. " 

The  man  shifted  about  uneasily  and  nervously 
without  replying  at  once,  and  then  in  a  sly,  mutter- 
ing tone,  and  with  an  indescribable  suggestion  of 
menace,  said: — 

"  There  are  some  ugly  stories  afloat,  Lieutenant." 

"  Yes :  and  in  Russia,  those  who  tell  them  smell 
the  atmosphere  of  a  gaol  as  often  as  those  against 
whom  they  are  told.  A  word  from  me  and  you  know 
where  you  will  be  within  half  a  dozen  hours. "  This 
was  a  safe  shot  with  such  a  rascal. 

*'  But  you'll  never  speak  that  word,"  he  said  sul- 
'ienly.  "We've  talked  all  this  over  before.  You 
'can't  shake  me  off.  I  know  too  much." 

Obviously  my  former  self  had  handled  this  man 
"badly :  probably  through  weakness :  and  had  allowed 
"him  to  get  an  ugly  hold.  He  was  presuming  on  this 
now. 

I  took  two  rapid  turns  up  and  down  the  room  in 
thought.  Then  I  made  a  decision.  Taking  ink  and 
paper  I  sat  down  to  the  table  and  wrote,  repeating 
the  words  aloud : — . 

"  To  the  Chief  of  Police.— The  bearer  of  this " 

"  How  do  you  spell  your  rascally  name?  "  I  cried, 
interrupting  the  writing  and  looking  across  at  him. 


A  Legacy  of  Love  65 

"You  know.  You've  written  it  often  enough  to 
Anna. " 

Good.     I  had  got  the  daughter's  name  at  any  rate. 

"  Yes,  but  this  is  for  the  police,  and  must  be  ac- 
curate." The  start  he  gave  was  an  unmistakable 
start  of  fear. 

"  Everyone  knows  how  to  spell  Peter,  I  suppose. 
And  you  ought  to  know  how  to  spell  Prashil,  seeing 
your  own  child  has  to  bear  the  name." 

"The  bearer  of  this,  Peter  Prashil,  declares  that 
he  has  some  information  to  give  to  you  which  in- 
criminates me.  Take  his  statement  in  writing  and 
have  it  investigated.  Hold  him  prisoner,  meanwhile, 
for  he  has  been  attempting  to  blackmail  me.  You 
or  your  agents  will  know  him  well. 

Signed,  ALEXIS  PETROVITCH. 
Lieutenant,  Moscow  Infantry  Regiment." 

"  Now,"  I  cried,  rising,  giving  him  the  paper,  and 
throwing  open  the  door.  "  Take  that  paper  and  go 
straight  to  the  police.  Tell  them  all  you  know.  Or 
if  you  like  it  better  stand  to-morrow  at  midday  in 
the  Square  of  the  Cathedral  and  shout  it  out  with  all 
your  lungs  for  the  whole  of  Moscow  to  hear.  Or  get 
it  inserted  in  every  newspaper  in  the  city.  Go ! " 
and  I  pointed  the  way  and  stared  at  him  sternly  and 
angrily. 

"  I  don't  want  to  harm  you. " 

"Go!"  I  said.  "Or  I'll  wake  my  servant  and 
have  the  police  brought  here. " 

For  a  minute  he  tried  to  return  my  look,  and 
fumbled  with  the  paper  irresolutely. 

"  Go ! "  I  repeated,  staring  at  him  as  intently  as 
before. 

He  stood  another  minute  scowling  at  me  from 
under  his  ragged  red  brows  and  then  seemed  to  con- 
I 


66  By  Right  of  Sword 

centrate  the  fury  of  a  hundred  curses  into  one  tre> 
mendous  oath,  which  he  snarled  out  with  baffled  rage^ 
as  he  tore  the  paper  into  pieces  and  threw  them  down 
on  the  table. 

"  You  know  I  can't  go  to  the  police,  damn  you," 
he  cried. 

I  had  beaten  him.  I  had  convinced  him  of  my 
earnestness.  I  shut  the  door  then  and  sitting  down 
again,  said  calmly : — 

"  Now  you  understand  me  a  little  better  than  ever 
before ;  and  we  will  have  the  last  conversation  that 
will  ever  pass  between  us.  Tell  me  plainly  and 
clearly  what  you  want.  Quick." 

"Justice  for  my  daughter." 

"  What  else  ?  " 

"The  money  you've  always  promised  me  for  my 
services,"  with  a  pause  before  the  last  word. 

"  What  services  ?  " 

"  You  know." 

"Answer.  Don't  dare  to  speak  like  that,"  I  cried 
sternly. 

"  For  holding  my  tongue — about  Anna — and — the 
child.  I  want  my  share,  don't  I  ?  "  he  answered  sul- 
lenly, scowling  at  me.  "  Is  a  father  to  be  robbed  of 
a  child  and  then  cheated  ? "  He  asked  this  with 
a  burst  of  anger  as  if,  vile  as  he  was,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  stifle  his  sense  of  shame  with  a  rush  of 
rage. 

"Hush-money,  eh?  And  payment  for  your 
daughter's  shame.  Well,  what  else  ?  "  I  threw  into 
my  manner  all  the  contempt  I  could. 

"My  help  in  other  things — with  others."  He 
uttered  the  sentence  with  a  leer  of  suggestion  that 
sent  my  blood  to  boiling  point ;  and  he  followed  it 
up  with  a  recital  of  mean  and  despicable  tricks  of 


A  Legacy  of  Love  67 

vice  and  foul  dissipation  until  in  sheer  disgust  I  was 
compelled  to  stop  him. 

What  more  the  man  might  have  had  to  say  I  knew 
not ;  but  I  had  heard  enough.  It  was  clear  that  I 
was  indeed  a  bitter  blackguard,  and  that  for  my  pur- 
poses I  had  made  use  of  this  scoundrel,  who  had  ap- 
parently begun  by  selling  me  his  own  daughter.  It 
was  clear  also  that  all  this  must  end  and  some  sort 
of  arrangement  be  made. 

At  the  same  time  I  knew  enough  of  Russian  so- 
ciety to  be  perfectly  well  aware  that  not  one  of  the 
acts  which  this  man  had  suggested  would  count  for 
either  crime  or  wrong  against  me.  One  was  expected 
to  keep  the  seamy  side  of  one's  life  decorously  out 
of  sight ;  but  if  that  were  done,  a  few  "  slips  "  of  the 
kind  were  taken  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Personally,  I  hold  old-fashioned  notions  on  these 
things,  and  it  was  infinitely  painful  to  me  that  I 
should  be  held  guilty  of  such  blackguardism.  I 
would  at  least  do  what  justice  I  could. 

"  I  have  been  thinking  much  about  these  things 
lately,"  I  said,  after  a  pause.  "And  I  have  come 
to  a  decision.  I  shall  make  provision  for  you.  .  .  ." 

"Your  honour  was  always  generosity  itself,"  said 
the  fellow  squirming  instantly. 

"  On  condition  that  you  leave  Moscow.  You  will 
go  to  Kursk ;  and  there  ten  roubles  will  be  paid  to 
you  weekly  for  a  year ;  by  which  time  if  you  haven't 
drunk  yourself  to  death,  you  will  have  found  the 
means  to  earn  your  living." 

"  And  Anna  ?  " 

"  Your  daughter  will  call  to-morrow  afternoon  on 
my  sister " 

"  Your  sister  ? "  cried  the  man  in  the  deepest 
astonishment. 


<>8  By  Right  of  Sword 

"My  sister,"  I  repeated,  "at  this  address" — 1 
wrote  it  down — '  and  the  course  to  be  taken  will  de- 
pend on  what  is  then  decided.  You  understand  that 
the  whole  story  will  be  sifted,  so  she  must  be  careful 
to  tell  the  truth." 

"The  discreet  truth,  your  honour?"  he  asked 
with  another  leer. 

"  No,  the  whole  truth,  without  a  single  lie  of  yours. 
Mind,  one  lie  by  either  of  you  and  not  a  kopeck 
shall  you  have." 

With  that  I  sent  him  about  his  business.  I  re- 
solved to  have  the  whole  story  investigated ;  and  it 
occurred  to  me  that  it  would  be  a  good  test  of  my 
sister's  womanliness  to  let  her  deal  with  the  case. 
I  reflected  too  that  it  would  do  her  no  harm  to  know 
a  little  of  the  undercurrent  of  her  brother's  life. 

That  done,  I  turned  into  bed  after  as  full  a  day  as 
I  had  ever  lived,  and  slept  well. 

Reflection  led  me  to  approve  the  plan  of  sending 
the  old  Jew's  daughter  to  Olga ;  and  after  breakfast 
the  next  morning  I  wrote  a  little  note  to  prepare  her 
for  the  visit. 

"  This  afternoon,"  I  wrote,  "  you  will  have  a  visit 
from  a  girl  whose  name  is  Anna  Prashil,  and  she 
will  tell  you  something  about  your  brother's  history 
which  I  think  your  woman's  wit  will  let  you  deal 
with  better  than  I  can.  We  will  have  the  story 
sifted,  but  you  can  do  two  things  in  the  matter  better 
than  I — judge  whether  the  girl  is  an  impostor ;  and 
if  not,  what  is  the  best  thing  to  do  for  her.  I  will  see 
you  afterwards." 

I  sat  smoking  and  thinking  over  this  business 
when  my  servant,  Borlas,  announced  that  a  lady 
wished  to  see  me;  and  ushered  in  a  tall  woman 
closely  veiled. 


A  Legacy  of  l^ove  69 

I  was  prepared  now  for  anything  that  could  happen. 

I  rose  and  bowed  to  her ;  but  she  stood  without  a 
word  until  Borlas  had  gone  out. 

"  Don't  pretend  that  you  don't  know  me, "  she  said, 
in  a  voice  naturally  sweet  and  full  and  musical,  but 
now  resonant  with  agitation  and  anger. 

It  was  a  very  awkward  position.  Obviously  I 
ought  to  know  her,  so  I  thought  it  best  to  speak  as 
if  I  did. 

"  I  make  no  attempt  at  pretence  with  you,"  I  said, 
equivocally.  " But  aren't  you  going  to  sit  down?  " 

"  No  attempt  at  pretence  ?  What  was  your  con- 
duct last  night  if  not  pretence — maddening,  infamous, 
insulting  pretence  ? " 

I  knew  her  now.  It  was  the  handsome  angry 
woman  whose  signals  at  the  ball  I  had  ignored — 
Paula  Tueski.  She  had  probably  come  to  upbraid 
me  for  my  coldness  and  neglect.  "  Hell  holds  no 
fury  like  a  woman  scorned,"  thought  I ;  and  this  was 
a  woman  with  a  very  generous  capacity  for  rage.  If 
she  recognised  me.  .  .  . 

"  Won't  you  take  off  that  thick  veil,  which  pre- 
vents my  seeing  your  very  angry  eyes.  You  know  I 
always  admire  you  in  a  passion,  Paula."  I  did  not 
know  how  I  ought  to  address  her  so  I  made  the 
plunge  with  her  Christian  name. 

"  Why  dared  you  insult  me  by  not  speaking  to  me 
at  the  ball  last  night  ?  Why  dared  you  break  your 
word?  You  pledged  me  your  honour" — this  with 
quite  glorious  scorn — "that  you  would  introduce 
your  impudent  chit  of  a  sister  to  me  at  the  ball. 
And  instead,  my  God,  that  I  am  alive  to  say  it ! — you 
dared  to  sit  with  her  laughing,  and  jibing  and  flout- 
ing at  me.  Pretending — you,  you  of  all  men  on  this 
earth — that  you  did  not  know  me  1  Do  you  think  I 


70  By  Right  of  Sword 

will  endure  that  ?  Do  you  think "  Here  rage 

choked  her  speech,  and  she  ended  in  incoherency, 
half  laugh,  half  sob,  and  all  hysterical. 

I  was  sorry  she  stopped  at  that  point.  The  more 
she  told  me  the  easier  would  be  my  choice  of  policy. 
From  what  she  said  I  gathered  this  was  another  of 
the  pledges  made  under  the  fear  of  Devinsky's  sword. 

"  You  know  perfectly  well  that  Olga  is  exceedingly 
difficult  to  coerce " 

"Bah!  Don't  talk  to  me  of  difficulties.  You 
would  be  frightened  by  a  fool's  bladder  and  call  it 
difficulties.  I  suppose  you  shaved  your  beard  and 
moustache  because  they  were  difficulties,  eh  ?  Diffi- 
culties, perhaps,  in  the  way  of  getting  out  of  Moscow 
unrecognised  on  the  eve  of  a  fight  ?  You  know  what 
I  mean,  eh  ?  " 

For  a  moment  I  half  thought  she  or  the  police 
agents  of  her  husband  might  have  guessed  the  truth, 
and  this  made  me  hesitate  in  my  reply. 

"  Did  you  think  I  was  afraid  to  kill  Major  De- 
vinsky,  or  ashamed  to  let  it  be  known  that  I  am  the 
best  swordsman  in  the  regiment  ?  " 

"  Why  have  you  never  told  me  that  ? "  she  cried 
with  feminine  inconsequence.  "  I  don't  understand 
you,  Alexis.  You  want  me  one  day  to  get  this  man 
assassinated  because  you  say  you  know  he  can  run 
you  through  the  body  just  as  he  pleases,  and  you 
promise  me  the  friendship  of  your  sister  if  I  will  do 
it ;  and  yet  the  very  next,  you  go  out  and  meet  him 
and  he  has  not  a  chance  with  you.  But  why  did  you 
do  it  ?  I  have  heard  of  it  all.  Did  you  want  to  try 
me?" 

I  thanked  her  mentally  for  that  cue. 

"  At  all  events  two  things  are  clear  now,"  I  said. 
"  I  did  not  want  to  get  out  of  Moscow  for  fear  ol 


A  Legacy  of  Love  71 

Devinsky,  and  you  would  not  do  that  which  I  told 
you  could  alone  save  my  life.  You  did  not  think 
my  life  worth  saving."  I  spoke  very  coldly  and 
deliberately. 

"  So  that  is  it  ?  "  she  cried,  with  a  quick  return  of 
her  rage.  "  You  insult  me  before  all  Moscow  be- 
cause  I  will  not  be  a  murderess — your  hired  assassin." 

It  was  an  excellent  situation.  If  I  had  devised 
it  myself,  I  could  not  have  arranged  it  more  deftly,  I 
thought. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  and  said  nothing;  but 
the  silence  and  the  gesture  were  more  expressive 
than  many  words. 

My  visitor  tore  off  the  veil  she  had  worn  till  now, 
and  throwing  herself  into  a  chair  looked  at  me  as 
though  trying  to  read  my  innermost  thoughts :  while 
I  was  trying  to  read  hers  and  was  more  than  half 
suspicious  that  she  might  see  enough  to  let  her  jump 
at  the  truth. 

But  a  rapid  reflection  shewed  me  I  should  be  wise 
to  use  the  means  she  herself  had  supplied,  as  an  ex- 
cuse for  the  change  in  me  toward  her.  It  was 
dangerous,  of  course,  to  set  at  defiance  a  woman  of 
her  manifest  force  of  character  and  in  her  position ; 
but  in  attempting  to  continue  even  an  innocent  in- 
trigue with  her  there  was  equal  danger. 

She  remained  silent  a  long  time,  considering,  as  it 
.  seemed  to  me,  how  she  should  prevent  my  breaking 
away  from  her.  She  was  a  clever  woman,  and  now 
that  the  first  outburst  of  emotion  was  over,  she 
abandoned  all  hysterical  display  and  resolved,  as  her 
words  soon  proved,  to  appeal  to  my  fears  rather  than 
to  any  old  love. 

She  laughed  very  softly  and  musically  when  sho 
spoke  next. 


7*  By  Right  of  Sword 

n  So  you  think  you  can  do  as  you  will  with  me^ 
Alexis?" 

"  On  the  contrary,"  I  replied,  quite  as  gently  and 
with  an  answering  smile.  "  I  have  no  wish  to  have 
anything  at  all  to  do  with  you." 

"  Yet  you  loved  me  once,"  she  murmured,  the  in- 
voluntary closing  of  her  eyelids  being  the  only  sign 
of  the  pain  my  brutal  words  caused. 

"  The  sweetest  things  in  life  are  the  memories  of 
the  past,  Paula.  If  you  really  loved  me  as  you  said, 
it  will  be  something  for  you  to  remember  that  while 
you  prized  my  life,  you  held  my  love." 

"  A  man  would  starve  on  the  memory  of  yester- 
day's dinner." 

"  True ;  or  hope  that  somebody  else  will  give  him 
even  a  more  satisfying  meal." 

"You  could  always  turn  a  woman's  phrases, 
Alexis." 

"And  you  a  man's  head,  Paula." 

"Bah!     I  have  not  come  here  to  cap  phrases." 

"  Yet  there  can  be  little  else  than  phrases  between 
us  for  the  future.  You  have  shewn  me  what  store 
you  set  on  my  life." 

"  Did  you  think  I  could  love  you  if  you  were  such 
a  coward  that  you  dared  not  fight  a  duel  ?  " 

"You  thought  I  dared  not  when  you  refused  tc 
help  me." 

"  You  said  you  dared  not.  But  do  you  think  I  be- 
lieved you  ?  Could  I  believe  so  meanly  of  the  man 
I  loved?" 

"  You  discussed  the  matter  as  if  you  believed  it," 
said  I;  making  a  leap  in  the  dark  and  blundering 
badly. 

"Discussed  it?  What  do  you  mean?  With 
whom  ?  Do  you  think  I  am  mad  ?  I  sat  down  at 


A  Legacy  of  Love  73 

once  and  answered  your  mad  letter  in  the  only  way 
it  could  be  answered." 

Great  Heavens !  I  had  apparently  been  fool  enough 
in  my  desperate  cowardice  to  actually  write  the  pro- 
posal. The  letter  itself,  if  she  dared  to  use  it,  spelt 
certain  ruin. 

"  Well,  you  answered  the  test  your  own  way,  and 
..."  I  shrugged  my  shoulders  as  a  suggestive  end 
to  the  sentence. 

She  paused  a  moment  looking  thoughtfully  at  me* 
Then  knitting  her  brows,  she  asked : 

"  What  is  the  real  meaning  of  this  change,  Alexis  ? 
Do  try  for  once  to  be  frank.  You  have  always  half 
a  dozen  secret  meanings.  You  have  boasted  of  this 
in  regard  to  others — perhaps  because  you  were  afraid 
to  do  anything  else." 

"Are  you  a  judge  of  my  fears?  I  think  I  have 
already  shewn  you  that  that  which  I  led  you  to  be- 
lieve frightened  me  most  had  in  reality  no  terrors  at 
all  for  me." 

"  One  thing  I  know  you  are  afraid  of — to  break 
with  me."  This  came  with  a  flash  of  impetuous 
anger,  bursting  out  in  spite  of  her  efforts  at  self- 
restraint. 

I  smiled. 

"  We  shall  see.  I  have  not  broken  with  you.  It 
is  you  who  have  broken  with  me.  How  often  have 
you  not  sworn  to  me,"  I  cried  passionately,  making 
another  shot — "that  there  was  nothing  upon  this 
earth  that  you  would  not  do  if  I  only  asked  you  ? 
What  value  should  I  now  set  on  a  broken  love-vow  ? " 

"Had  I  thought  you  were  even  in  danger,  I  would 
have  dared  even  that,  Alexis,  dangerous  and  desper- 
ate as  you  know  such  a  hazard  must  be."  She  spoke 
now  with  a  depth  of  tone  that  was  eloquent  of  feet 


74  By  Right  of  Sword 

ing.  "  What  I  told  you  is  true — and  you  know  it 
There  is  nothing  I  will  not  do  for  you.  Bid  me  do 
it  now  to  shew  you  my  earnestness.  Shall  I  leave 
my  husband?— I  will  do  it.  Shall  I  tell  the  world 
of  Moscow  the  tale  of  my  love  ? — I  will  do  it.  Nay, 
bid  me  strip  myself  and  walk  naked  through  the 
streets  of  the  city,  calling  on  your  name  and  pro- 
claiming my  love — and  I  will  do  it  with  a  smile, 
glorying  in  my  shame  because  it  brings  you  to  me 
and  me  to  you — never  to  part  again." 

This  flood  of  passion  spoken  with  such  earnestness 
as  I  had  never  heard  from  the  lips  of  woman  before 
was  almost  more  than  I  could  endure  to  hear  without 
telling  the  truth  to  her.  It  abashed  me,  and  the 
story  of  the  deception  I  was  practising  on  her  rose  to 
my  lips :  but  before  I  could  speak  she  had  resumed, 
and  her  wonderful  voice  had  a  power  such  as  I  cannot 
describe.  It  seemed  to  compel  sympathy ;  and  as  it 
became  the  vehicle  for  every  varying  phase  of  feeling 
it  almost  raised  an  echo  of  feeling  in  me. 

"You  don't  know  the  fire  you  have  kindled;  you 
don't  dream  of  its  volcanic  fierceness.  I  do  not 
think  I  myself  knew  it  until  last  night  when  you 
turned  from  me  in  silence  and  coldness,  as  though, 
my  God !  as  though  your  lips  had  never  rested  on 
mine,  or  mine  on  yours,  in  pledge  of  delirious 
passion.  Ah  me !  You  cannot  act  like  this,  Alexis. 
It  was  you  who  warmed  into  life  the  love  that  burns 
in  me,  and  it  is  not  yours  to  quench.  You  must  not, 
cannot,  aye — and  dare  not  do  it.  You  know  this. 
Come,  say  that  all  this  is  just  your  pique,  your 
temper,  your  whim,  your  test,  your  anything;  and 
that  all  is  still  between  us  as  it  must  always  be — al- 
ways, Alexis,  always." 

If  I  had  been  the  man  she  thought  I  was,  I  cannot 


A  Legacy  of  Love  75 

fcmt  believe  she  would  have  prevailed  with  me.  The 
seductiveness  of  her  manner,  her  absolute  self 
abandonment,  and  the  plain  and  unmistakable  proof 
of  her  love,  were  enough  to  touch  any  man  placed  as 
he  would  have  been. 

But  I  had  nothing  to  prompt  my  kinder  impulses. 
She  was  only  a  stranger :  infinitely  beautiful,  passion- 
ate, and  melting:  but  yet  nothing  more  than  a 
stranger.  And  I  had  no  answering  passion  to  be 
fired  by  her  glances,  her  pleas,  and  her  love.  She 
was  a  hindrance  to  me;  and  I  was  only  conscious 
that  I  was  in  a  way  compelled  to  act  the  part  of  a 
cad  in  listening  to  her  and  cheating  her.  And  I 
could  only  remain  silent. 

She  read  my  silence  for  obstinacy,  and  then  began 
to  shew  the  nature  of  the  power  she  held  over  me. 
I  was  glad  of  this ;  as  it  seemed  to  give  me  a  sort  of 
justification  for  my  action.  It  was  an  attack;  and  I 
had  to  defend  myself. 

"  You  do  not  answer  me.  You  are  cold,  moody, 
silent — and  yet  not  unmoved.  I  wonder  of  what 
you  are  thinking.  Yet  there  can  be  but  one  burden 
of  your  thoughts.  You  are  mine,  Alexis,  mine;  al- 
ways,  till  death — as  you  have  sworn  often  enough. 
And  after  your  bravery  I  love  you  more  than  ever. 
I  love  a  brave  man,  Alexis.  Every  brave  man.  I 
would  give  them  the  kiss  of  honour.  And  that  you 
are  the  bravest  of  them  all  is  to  me  the  sweetest  of 
knowledge.  Yesterday,  when  I  heard  how  you  had 
humbled  that  bully,  I  could  do  naught  but  thrill  with 
pride  every  time  I  thought  of  it.  It  was  my  Alexis 
who  had  done  it.  Won't  you  kiss  me  once  as  I  kissed 
you  a  thousand  times  in  thought  yesterday?  No? 
Well,  you  will  before  I  go.  And  then  I  began  to 
think  how  glad  I  was  that  I  had  made  it  impossible! 


76  By  Right  of  Sword 

for  you  ever  to  think  of  giving  me  up.  I  know  yott 
are  brave ; — but  even  the  bravest  men  shudder  at  the 
whisper  of  Siberia." 

She  paused  to  give  this  time  to  work  its  effect. 

"  I  wonder  how  other  women  love ;  whether,  like 
me,  they  think  it  fair  to  weave  a  net  round  the  man 
they  love,  strong  enough  to  hold  the  strongest,  wide 
enough  to  reach  to  the  Poles,  and  yet  fine  enough  to 
be  unseen  ?  "  She  laughed.  "  I  have  done  this  with 
you,  sweetheart.  You  know  how  often  you  have 
asked  me  for  information  and  I  have  got  it  for  you — 
you  have  wanted  it  for  the  Nihilists.  Knowing  this 
I  have  given  it  and — you  have  used  it.  Once  or 
twice  you  have  told  them  what  was  not  true,  and 
now  you  are  suspected  and  in  some  danger  of  your 
life.  But  you  are  guarded  also  and  watched.  Two 
days  ago  you  were  at  the  railway  station  in  private 
clothes  and  with  your  dear  face  shaven ;  you  were 
trying  to  leave  Moscow.  But  you  probably  saw 
the  uselessness  of  the  attempt  and  gave  it  up.  Had 
you  really  tried,  you  would  have  been  stopped.  Do 
you  think  you  can  hope  to  escape  from  me?  Do 
you  think  you  can  break  through  the  net-work  of 
the  most  wonderful  police  system  the  world  ever 
knew  ?  Psh !  Do  not  dream  of  it.  Moscow  is  a  fine, 
large,  splendid  city.  But  Moscow  is  also  a  prison ; 
and  the  man  who  would  seek  to  break  out  of  it,  but 
dashes  his  breast  against  the  drawn  sword  of  im 
placable  authority. " 

"  You  have  a  pleasant  humour,  and  a  light  touch 
in  your  methods  of  wooing,"  said  I,  bitterly.  She 
had  made  a  great  impression  on  me. 

"The  wooing  is  complete,  Alexis.  It  was  your 
work.  I  do  but  guard  against  being  deceived, 
Escape  from  Moscow  being  hopeless  for  you,  you 


A  Legacy  of  Love  77 

have  only  to  remember  that  a  word  from  me  in  my 
husband's  ear  will  open  for  you  the  dumb  horrid 
mouth  of  a  Russian  dungeon  which  will  either  close 
on  you  for  ever,  or  let  you  out  branded,  disgraced, 
and  manacled  to  start  on  the  long  hopeless  march  to 
Siberia. " 

I  had  rather  admired  the  woman  before;  now  I 
began  to  hate  her.  I  could  not  fail  to  see  the  truth 
behind  her  words ;  and  a  flash  of  inspiration  shewed 
me  now  that  the  safest  course  I  could  -take  was 
to  shake  off  the  character  I  had  so  lightly  as- 
sumed. But  her  next  words  bared  the  impossibility 
of  that. 

"  Do  you  think  now  it  is  safe  to  break  away  from 
me?  But  that  is  not  all.  There  is  another  con- 
sideration. You  have  drawn  your  sister  into  these 
Nihilist  snares.  You  know  how  she  is  compromised. 
I  know  it  too.  There  are  more  dungeons  than  one 
in  Russia.  If  you  were  in  one,  I  would  see  to  it 
that  she,  who  has  scorned  and  flouted  and  insulted 
me,  was  in  another;  with  her  chance  also  of  a  jaunt 
across  the  plains."  The  flippancy  of  this  last  phrase 
was  a  measure  of  her  hate. 

The  thought  of  the  poor  girl's  danger  beat  me. 
What  this  woman  said  was  all  true — damnably,  hor- 
ribly, sickeningly  true. 

"  Have  you  planned  all  this  ? "  I  asked,  when  I 
could  bring  myself  to  speak  calmly. 

"  No,  no,  Heaven  forbid.  I  had  not  a  thought  of 
it  in  all  my  heart;  not  a  thought,  save  of  love  and  a 
desire  to  shield  you  from  any  real  danger  that  threat- 
ened you,  till," — and  her  voice  changed  suddenly— 
"  yesterday,  when  you  loosed  all  the  torrents  that  can 
flow  from  a  jealous  woman's  heart.  I  am  a  woman; 
but  I  am  a  Russian. " 


78  By  Right  of  Sword 

She  was  lying  now,  for  she  was  contradicting  what 
she  had  said  just  before. 

"My  sister's  fate  is  nothing  to  me,"  I  said,  cal- 
lously. "  She  has  made  her  bed,  let  her  lie  on  it. 
But  as  for  myself  " — I  had  but  one  possible  course : 
to  seem  to  yield — "  I  care  nothing.  I  am  not  the 
coward  you  once  thought  me,  and  my  meeting  with 
Devinsky  shews  you  that  clearly  enough.  But  I 
doubted  your  love  when  I  found  you  did  not  answer 
to  the  test  I  made." 

"  You  do  not  doubt  it  now.  I  am  here  at  the  risk 
of  my  life;  at  the  risk  of  both  our  lives,"  she  said, 
her  eyes  aflame  with  feeling  as  she  hung  on  my 
deliberately  spoken  words. 

"This  morning  has  been  a  further  test,  and  I 
should  not  be  a  sane  man  if  I  doubted  you  now,  or 
ever  again." 

"  Then  kiss  me,  Alexis." 

She  sprang  from  her  chair  and  threw  herself  into 
my  arms,  loading  me  with  wild  tempestuous  caresses, 
like  a  woman  distraught  with  passion. 

I  hated  myself  even  while  I  endured  it ;  and  noth- 
ing would  have  made  me  play  so  loathesome  and  re- 
pugnant a  part  but  the  thought  that  Olga's  safety 
demanded  it. 

She  was  still  clinging  about  me,  calling  me  by  my 
name,  caressing  me,  upbraiding  me  for  my  coldness, 
and  chiding  me  for  having  put  her  to  such  a  test, 
when  a  loud  knock  at  the  door  of  the  room  disturbed 
us  both. 

It  was  my  discreet  servant  Borlas;  the  loudness 
of  his  knock  being  the  measure  of  his  discretion. 

He  said  that  my  sister  was  waiting  to  see  me 


CHAPTER  VU 

A  LESSON   IN   NIHILISM. 

I  WAS  not  a  little  annoyed  that  so  soon  after  Olga 
had  warned  me  against  the  wiles  of  Paula  Tueski, 
she  should  come  just  when  my  most  unwelcome  lover 
was  in  my  rooms — and  at  such  a  moment.  But  I 
thrust  aside  my  irritation — which  was  not  against 
Olga — and  went  to  her,  curious  to  learn  what  had 
brought  her  to  visit  me. 

She  told  me  in  a  few  sentences.  A  friend  had 
been  to  warn  her  that  I  was  in  danger  from  the 
Nihilists  and  that  unless  I  took  the  greatest  care,  I 
should  be  assassinated.  The  poor  girl  was  all  pale 
and  agitated  with  alarm  on  my  account,  and  had 
rushed  off  to  hand  the  warning  on  to  me.  She  was 
half  hysterical.  She  wanted  me  to  fly  at  once,  to 
claim  the  protection  of  the  British  Consulate;  to 
proclaim  my  identity  and  get  away  even  before  my 
passport  came  from  her  brother. 

"  There  is  not  the  danger  you  fear,  Olga, "  I  said, 
reassuringly.  "  I  shall  find  means  to  avoid  it.  But 
I  wanted  to  speak  to  you  about  another  matter. 
Paula  Tueski  is  here" — my  sister  shrank  back  and 
looked  at  me  with  a  hard  expression  on  her  face  such 
as  I  had  not  seen  there  in  all  our  talks.  Evidently 
she  hated  the  woman  cordially.  "  You  are  right  in 
your  estimate  of  her  in  one  respect,  and  for  the  mo. 
ment  she  has  beaten  me.  Much  as  I  dislike  the 


80  By  Right  of  Sword 

business,  we  must  manage  to  blind  her  eyes  and  tie 
her  hands  for  the  moment — or  I  for  one  see  none  but 
bad  business  ahead. " 

"  How  comes  she  to  be  here  ?  "  asked  Olga,  in  a 
voice  of  suppressed  anger. 

"I  will  tell  you  all  that  another  time,"  I  answered, 
speaking  hurriedly  and  in  a  very  low  tone.  "  An- 
other  point  has  occurred  to  me.  She  is  very  bitter 
against  you  and  has  been  urging  your  brother  to  get 
you  to  receive  her.  This  was  to  have  been  done  last 
night.  My  apparent  refusal  to  speak  to  her  at  all 
came  as  a  crowning  insult,  and  she  was  mad.  There 
is  one  way  in  which  I  think  we  might  the  more  easily 
deceive  her,  if  you  can  bring  yourself  to  do  it. 
Come  in  now  and  let  me  present  her  to  you :  or  let 
me  go  and  tell  her  that  you  will  call  on  her." 

"  Will  it  make  things  safer  for  you  ?"  she  asked, 
always  thinking  of  the  trouble  into  which  she  would 
persist  in  saying  she  had  brought  me. 

"  It  would  make  them  safer  for  you,  I  think." 

"  I  care  nothing  for  myself.  She  can't  harm  me. 
Do  you  wish  it  ?  Do  you  think  it  desirable  ?  I  will 
do  it  if  you  say  yes."  She  spoke  so  earnestly  that 
I  smiled.  .  .  .  Then  she  added : — "  Ah,  it  is  so  good 
to  have  someone  that  I  can  trust.  That's  why  I 
leave  it  to  you." 

"  I  don't  wish  it,"  I  answered,  gravely,  "  because 
she  is  the  reverse  of  a  good  woman,  but  I  do  think  it 
would  be  prudent." 

"  Let's  go  to  her  at  once,"  cried  the  girl,  getting 
up  from  her  chair  readily.  "  We  can  talk  afterwards. 
That's  the  one  privilege.  .  .  ."  she  checked  herself 
and  then  coloured  slightly.  I  pretended  not  to  notice 
it;  but  this  absolute  confidence  pleased  me  not  a 
little. 


A  Lesson  in  Nihilism.  8 1 

"  Bear  in  mind,  we  are  only  playing  a  part  with 
this  woman,"  I  whispered. 

"  I  know.  She  is  too  dangerous  for  me  ever  to 
forget  that,  or  to  play  badly."  She  dashed  a  glance 
of  quick  understanding  at  me  and  then  seemed  to 
change  suddenly  into  a  Russian  grande  dame.  An 
indescribable  air  of  distinction  manifested  itself  in  a 
hundred  little  signs,  and  she  carried  herself  like  a 
stately  duchess,  as  we  entered  the  room  where  Paula 
Tueski  sat  waiting  impatiently. 

A  great  glad  light  of  triumph  leapt  into  the  latter's 
eyes  as  she  saw  Olga  was  with  me,  and  she,  too, 
drew  herself  up  as  I  made  the  two  formally  known 
to  each  other.  It  was  a  delightful  bit  of  comedy. 
Olga  was  full  of  quite  stately  regrets  that  she  had 
not  had  the  pleasure  of  knowing  the  other  long  be- 
fore :  said  that  her  brother's  friends  were,  of  course, 
her  friends ;  and  that  she  hoped  to  call  that  week  on 
Madame  Tueski  and  that  Madame  would  find  an  op- 
portunity  of  returning  the  visit  speedily.  She  made 
such  an  appearance  of  unbending  to  the  other,  that 
the  difference  between  them  was  all  the  more  pro- 
nounced. 

Madame  Tueski  on  her  side  was  too  full  of  the 
seeming  triumph  over  us  to  be  able  to  be  natural 
with  my  sister;  and  she  alternately  gushed  and  froze 
as  she  first  tried  to  captivate  and  then  would  remem- 
ber that  Olga  was  only  consenting  through  compul- 
sion to  know  her.  The  result  was  as  ridiculous  as 
an  episode  could  be  beneath  which  lurked  such  pos- 
sibilities of  tragedy. 

It  lasted  only  a  few  minutes  when  I  suggested, 

and  I  had  a  purpose,  that  the  two  should  leave  ttie 

house  together.     I  wished  to  get  rid  of  Paula  Tueski 

without  further  love-making :  and  desired  in  addition 

.6 


82  By  Right  of  Sword 

that  if  there  were  any  spies  about  the  house  they 
should  see  the  two  together,  so  that  if  any  tales  were 
carried  to  the  Chief  of  the  Police  they  should  be  in- 
nocent ones. 

"  I  will  call  later  in  the  day  if  possible,"  I  promised 
Olga,  as  she  left. 

"  Ugh,  how  I  hate  her ; "  was  the  whispered  reply, 
inconsequential  but  very  feminine.  And  I  shut  the 
door  on  the  two  and  went  back  to  my  room  to  think 
out  this  new  set  of  most  complicated  problems. 

Paula  Tueski's  visit  had  changed  everything ;  and 
I  saw  it  would  be  foolish  not  to  look  t'lat  fact  straight 
in  the  face.  I  could  not  see  how  things  would  end ; 
but  certainly  flight,  for  the  time,  was  simply  impos- 
sible. For  myself,  I  did  not  much  care.  I  had  had 
a  few  hours  of  excitement  which  had  completely 
drawn  me  out  of  the  morbid  mood  in  which  I  had 
arrived  in  Moscow;  and  nothing  had  happened  to 
make  me  much  more  anxious  to  live  than  I  had  been 
then. 

Life  might  have  been  endurable  enough,  if  I  could 
have  gone  on  with  my  army  career  as  Lieutenant 
Petrovitch ;  but  not  if  the  abominable  and  disgrace- 
ful intrigue  were  to  be  added  as  a  necessary  condi- 
tion. That  would  be  unendurable :  and  had  I  been 
a  free  agent,  I  would  have  ended  the  whole  thing 
there  and  then,  by  admitting  the  deception  and  put- 
ting up  with  the  results.  Indeed,  it  occurred  to  me 
that  in  a  country  like  Russia,  where  I  knew  that 
courage  stood  for  much  and  military  skill  for  more, 
the  reputation  I  had  managed  to  make  would  be 
likely  enough  to  tell  in  my  favour  if  I  told  the  truth 
and  asked  leave  to  volunteer. 

But  was  I  a  free  agent  ? 

Look  at  the  thing  as  I  would  I  could  see  no  means 


A  Lesson  in  Nihilism.  83 

by  which  I  could  get  out  of  the  mess,  even  taking 
my  punishment,  without  leaving  my  sister  in  deep 
trouble.  If  Paula  Tueski  found  that  I  had  humbugged 
her  and  that  Olga  was  in  the  plot,  it  was  as  plain  as 
a  gallows  that  she  would  be  simply  mad  and  would 
wreak  her  spite  on  the  girl. 

Could  I  leave  Olga  to  this  ?  The  words  of  con- 
fidence  she  had  spoken  were  still  echoing  in  my  ears 
— and  very  pleasant  music  they  made — and  could  I 
quietly  save  my  own  skin  and  leave  her  in  the  lurch  ? 
It  was  not  likely  that  I  should  do  anything  of  the 
sort;  and  I  didn't  entertain  it  for  a  moment  as  a  pos- 
sibility. The  girl  had  trusted  to  me  and  I  must 
make  her  safety  tLe,  first  consideration  of  any  plan  I 
formed. 

But  how  ? 

I  could  see  only  one  way.  It  was  that  she  should 
get  out  of  Moscow,  and  indeed  out  of  Russia  alto- 
gether. It  was  not  probable  that  the  woman  Tueski 
would  place  any  obstacle  in  the  way,  provided  I  did 
not  attempt  to  leave  as  well ;  and  I  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  best  possible  course  would  be  for 
Olga  to  take  her  departure  at  once.  She  could  go 
and  join  her  brother  in  Paris,  or  wherever  he  had 
gone ;  and  then  I  could  carry  on  alone  the  play,  farce, 
burlesque,  comedy,  or  tragedy,  as  it  might  prove. 

It  was  early  evening  before  I  could  get  round  to 
see  Olga,  and  then  I  had  to  spend  some  time  with 
her  aunt,  the  Countess  Palitzin,  an  ugly,  garrulous 
and  dyspeptic  old  lady,  who  wanted  to  hear  all  about 
the  Devinsky  business  over  again  :  and  then  went  on 
to  tell  me  of  some  famous  duels  that  had  happened 
in  her  young  days. 

I  observed  that  Olga  was  very  thoughtful  during 
the  interview  with  the  aunt,  but  as  soon  as  we  were 


84  By  Right  of  Sword 

alone  she  put  her  hand  into  mine  and  with  a  look 
that  spoke  deep  feeling  and  pleasure,  said : — 

"  You  could  have  done  nothing  that  would  have 
better  pleased  me — nothing  could  shew  so  clearly 
that  you  understand  me  better  than  anyone  ever  did 
before.  I  have  seen  the  girl  and  listened  to  her  story 
and  questioned  her.  I  think  there  is  yet  good  in  her 
and  I  am  convinced  she  tells  the  truth.  She  longs 
to  be  separated  from  her  dreadful  father.  ..." 

"  He  leaves  for  Kursk  to-morrow,"  I  said. 

"  Good.  Then  I  will  make  the  care  of  the  others 
my  charge.  I  don't  do  much  that  is  useful ;  and  if  I 
can  make  that  life  happier  and  give  the  child  the 
chance  of  growing  up  to  be  a  good  Russian,  I  shall 
have  done  something.  What  say  you  ?  " 

She  seemed  more  admirable  than  ever  in  my  eyes 
for  this ;  but  I  hesitated  a  moment  what  to  say ;  and 
she,  quick  to  read  my  looks,  added,  her  own  features 
taking  a  reflection  of  my  doubts : — 

"But  of  course  that  is  all  subject  to  your  opinion. 
Is  there  anything  else  you  think  better?  But  I 
should  like  this  very  much : "  and  a  smile  broke  over 
her  face. 

"  The  plan  is  excellent ;  but  there  is  a  difficulty, 
unless  you  can  make  your  arrangements  at  once  and 
permanently,  or  at  any  rate  for  a  considerable  time 
ahead.  Or  you  might  perhaps  better  arrange  for  the 
mother  and  child  to  leave  Russia. " 

The  girl  looked  perplexed ;  and  fifty  little  notes  of 
interrogation  crinkled  in  her  forehead  and  shot  from 
her  eyes. 

"There  is  something  behind  that,  of  course,"  she 
said.  "What  is  it?" 

"  I  think  it  would  be  the  best  plan  if  you  yourself 
were  to  go  away  on  a  little  tour.  You  have  had  the 


A  Lesson  in  Nihilism.  85 

idea  of  leaving  Russia,  you  know,  and  going  to  your 
brother  as  soon  as  he  has  made  a  home  in  Paris,  or 
wherever  he  stops." 

"Well?  "  when  I  paused. 

"Bluntly,  I  think  you  would  be  safer  across  the 
/rontier;  "  and  I  told  her  at  some  length  my  reasons. 

"  But  what  of  you  ?  Do  you  think  I  do  not  wish 
to  share  the  success  which  my  brother  is  enjoying 
here?  Or  are  you  thinking  of  leaving  Russia  also?  " 

By  a  swift  turn  of  the  head  she  prevented  me  from 
seeing  her  face  as  she  asked  this. 

I  laughed  as  I  answered  lightly: — "No.  The 
state  of  my  health,  combined  with  regimental  duties, 
social  engagements,  Nihilistic  contracts,  and  other 
complications  render  it  a  little  difficult  to  leave  at 
present." 

The  girl  did  not  laugh,  however,  but  kept  her  face 
turned  from  me ;  and  I  could  not  help  admiring  the 
poise  of  the  head  and  the  graceful  outline  it  made 
against  the  grey  evening  light  falling  on  her  from 
the  window. 

She  seemed  so  much  more  womanly  than  the 
laughing  girl  I  had  met  first  on  the  Moscow  plat- 
form, and  it  was  difficult  to  think  that  so  short  a 
time  had  passed  since  then.  I  filled  up  the  long 
pause  during  which  she  appeared  to  be  making  up 
her  mind  what  answer  to  give  me,  by  thinking  what 
a  pleasant  sister  she  was  and  how  sorry  I  should  be 
to  lose  her. 

"  Well  ?  "  I  asked,  when  the  pause  had  lasted  a 
very  long  time. 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  advice," 
she  saidv  turning  round  and  looking  coldly  at  me,  and 
speaking  in  a  formal  precise  tone ;  "  but  I  find  my. 
self  unable  to  take  advantage  of  it.  I  cannot  con- 


86  By  Right  of  Sword 

veniently  leave  Moscow  just  now."  Then  just  when 
I  was  at  a  loss  to  know  how  I  had  offended  her,  she 
changed  suddenly.  She  stamped  her  foot  quite 
angrily,  a  flush  of  indignation  reddened  her  cheeks 
and  her  eyes  flashed  as  she  looked  at  me  and  cried : 
— "And  I  thought  you  understood  me!  Do  you 
think  we  Petrovitches  are  all  cowards  ?  And  that  I 
am  like  Alexis,  having  got  you  into  this  fearful 
trouble  would  run  away  and  leave  you  to  get  out  of 
it  alone  ? "  For  an  instant  she  struggled  with  her 
emotion.  Then  she  exclaimed :  "  It  is  an  insult ! " 
and  bursting  into  tears  she  rushed  out  of  the  room. 

I  stared  in  blank  amazement  at  the  door  after  it 
had  closed  behind  her,  and  wondering  what  it  was 
all  about,  left  the  house  in  a  medley  of  confused 
thoughts,  in  which  regret  for  having  in  some  clumsy 
way  worried  her  and  the  consciousness  that  she  was 
really  a  plucky  girl  intermingled  themselves  with  the 
memory  of  how  pretty  she  had  looked  in  her  emo- 
tional indignation.  The  thought  of  her  tears,  and 
that  I  had  caused  them,  gave  me  the  worst  twinges, 
however ;  and  this  kept  recurring  and  bothering  me 
during  the  whole  evening. 

At  the  club,  where  I  went  from  Olga's  house,  I 
was  careful  to  maintain  the  same  part  as  on  the  pre- 
vious day :  the  character  of  a  stern,  reserved,  observ- 
ant man,  moody  but  very  resolute  and  determined. 
Not  a  sign  of  the  bully  nor  a  symptom  of  braggadocio : 
but  just  the  kind  of  man  who,  while  quite  willing  to 
let  others  take  their  own  way  in  life,  means  to  take 
his.  Unready  to  force  a  quarrel,  but  equally  unready 
to  pass  over  a  slight ;  and  relentless  if  involved. 

This  was  pretty  much  my  own  character,  with 
some  of  the  dash  and  life  pressed  out  of  it ;  and  it 
was  easy  enough  for  me  to  maintain  it.  That  night 


A  Lesson  in  Nihilism  87 

I  played  a  little.  I  knew  I  had  formerly  been  a 
pretty  heavy  gambler;  but  to-night  I  purposely 
stopped  short  in  the  full  tide  of  winning.  I  had  lost 
at  first,  and  the  luck  turned  with  a  rush,  as  it  will, 
and  as  soon  as  I  had  pulled  back  my  losses  I  stopped, 
to  the  astonishment  of  all  who  had  been  accustomed 
to  find  in  me  a  heavy  plunger. 

"  You'll  be  donning  the  cowl,  next,  Petrovitch,  and 
preaching  self-denial,"  said  one,  a  handsome  laughing 
youngster  who  had  been  bemoaning  his  own  losses  a 
minute  before. 

"  A  good  thing  for  the  Turks,  if  he  does  it  before 
the  war,"  said  another  subaltern. 

Some  others  chimed  in,  and  it  was  easy  to  see 
from  the  drift  of  the  talk  how  genuine  was  the  turn 
in  the  tide  of  opinion  about  me. 

I  left  the  club  and  wanting  fresh  air  while  I 
thought  over  matters  I  went  for  a  short  walk.  I 
knew  the  City  pretty  well,  of  course,  owing  to  my 
long  residence  there ;  and  the  changes  since  I  had 
left  were  not  very  considerable. 

Walking  thoughtfully  down  one  of  the  broad  streets 
I  became  conscious  that  I  was  being  followed.  I 
had  had  a  similar  sensation  before ;  but  what  Paula 
Tueski  had  told  me  about  being  watched  and  guarded, 
and  the  warning  that  Olga  had  given  me  now  caused 
me  to  attach  more  importance  to  the  matter. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  hateful  sensations  I  know,  to 
feel  that  one's  footsteps  are  being  dogged  by  a  spy. 
I  turned  round  sharply  several  times,  and  each  time 
noticed  a  man  at  some  distance  behind  me  trying  to 
slip  out  of  sight.  He  was  clever  at  his  business,  and 
several  feints  I  made  in  the  attempt  to  shake  him  off 
failed.  But  I  escaped  him  at  length  in  the  great 
Church  of  St.  Martin.  Everyone  knows  the  many 


88  By  Right  of  Sword 

outlets  of  that  enormous  pile.  It  has  as  many  en- 
trances as  a  rabbit  warren,  and  most  of  them  are 
nearly  always  open.  I  went  in  by  one  door  and  left 
instantly  by  another,  and  running  off  at  top  speed,  I 
was  out  of  sight  before  the  spy  could  well  know  I 
had  left  the  building.  I  seemed  to  breathe  more 
freely  as  soon  as  I  had  shaken  the  fellow  off. 

I  stayed  out  some  time,  renewing  my  acquaintance 
with  several  parts  of  the  city;  and  it  was  late  when 
I  reached  home — so  late  that  the  streets  were  deserted. 

This  fact  nearly  cost  me  my  life. 

I  was  passing  a  narrow  street  when,  without  the 
slightest  warning — though  I  cannot  doubt  that  in 
some  way  my  approach  had  been  signalled — four 
men  rushed  out  on  me  with  drawn  knives.  By  mere 
chance  their  first  rush  did  not  prove  fatal ;  for  two 
of  them  who  struck  at  me  came  so  close,  that  the 
knives  gashed  my  clothes. 

But  when  they  missed  their  chance,  I  did  not  give 
them  another.  I  sprang  aside,  whipped  out  my 
sword,  sent  up  a  lusty  cry  for  help  that  made  the 
houses  ring  again,  and  set  my  back  against  the  wall 
to  sell  my  life  as  dearly  as  I  could.  They  closed 
round  me  and  attacked  instantly ;  a  swift  lunge  sent 
my  blade  through  one  of  them,  a  swinging  cut  made 
another  drop  his  knife  with  a  great  cry  of  pain,  and 
an  unexpected,  but  tremendously  violent  back-handed 
blow  with  the  hilt  of  my  sword  right  in  the  face  sent 
a  third  down  reeling  and  half  senseless. 

This  sort  of  reception  was  by  no  means  what  they 
had  expected;  and  as  a  shout  in  answer  to  my  cry 
for  help  came  from  a  distance,  the  unwounded  man 
and  the  two  who  could  get  away  rushed  off  at  top 
speed ;  while  the  fourth,  who  had  only  been  dazed, 
struggled  to  his  feet  and  would  have  staggered  off  as 


A  swinging  cut  made  another  drop  his  knife  with  a  great  cry  of  pain. 

— Page  87. 


A  Lesson  in  Nihilism  89 

well  had  I  let  him.  But  I  stopped  him,  made  him 
give  up  his  knife,  and  then  I  drove  him  before  me  to 
my  rooms — only  a  very  short  distance  off — without 
waiting  for  the  man  to  come  up  who  had  replied  to 
my  shout  for  help.  I  did  not  want  any  help  now. 
No  one  man  was  at  all  likely  to  do  me  any  harm,  and 
I  might  thus  get  to  know  the  cause  of  the  attack, 
without  being  troubled  with  any  outside  interference. 

"  Now,  why  did  you  seek  to  kill  me  ?  "  I  asked 
sternly,  as  soon  as  the  man  was  in  my  room. 
"  You're  not  a  thief ;  your  dress  and  style  shew  that. 
Why,  then,  do  you  turn  assassin  ?  " 

"  There  should  be  no  need  for  me  to  tell  you  that," 
said  he,  speaking  with  vehemence. 

"Nevertheless,  I  ask  it,"  I  returned,  with  even 
more  sternness.  Evidently  I  was  going  to  make  an- 
other discovery;  and  when  the  man  waited  a  long 
time  before  answering,  I  scanned  him  closely  to  see 
if  I  could  guess  his  object.  Clearly  he  was  no  thief. 
He  was  fairly  well  dressed  in  the  style  of  an  ordinary 
tradesman  or  a  superior  mechanic;  his  appearance 
betokened  rather  a  sedentary  life  and  his  muscles 
had  certainly  not  been  hardened  by  any  physical 
training.  As  certainly  he  was  no  police  spy.  He 
was  the  last  man  in  the  world  to  have  been  picked 
out  for  such  a  job  as  that  of  the  attempt  on  my  life. 
There  was  no  probability  of  there  being  any  private 
feud  against  me ;  that  seemed  ridiculous. 

I  could  only  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  attack 
was  from  the  Nihilists.  The  man  looked  much  more 
like  an  emissary  of  that  kind — able  to  give  a  sudden 
thrust  with  a  sharp  knife;  but  incapable  of  doing 
more.  The  instant  I  had  come  to  this  conclusion, 
and  I  came  to  it  much  more  quickly  than  I  can  write 
it,  I  resolved  what  to  do. 


90  By  Right  of  Sword 

"I  am  glad  this  encounter  has  taken  place — not 
omitting  the  result,  of  course,"  I  added  grimly. 
"There  is  no  cause  whatever  for  this  decree." 

The  man's  lip  curled  somewhat  contemptuously, 
as  I  made  this  protest.  He  seemed  to  have  formed 
the  average  low  estimate  of  the  value  of  my  word. 
Everywhere  I  turned  I  was  met  by  the  worthlessness 
of  the  scamp  whose  name  I  now  bore.  The  contempt 
silenced,  even  while  it  angered,  me. 

"You  did  not  attend,"  he  said  curtly.  "A  man's 
absence  is  poor  proof  of  either  innocence  or  courage. 
You  are  not  only  a  traitor  but  a  coward." 

"  What !  "     I  turned  on  him  as  if  he  had  struck  me. 

This  puny,  pale,  insignificant  weakling  faced  me 
as  dauntlessly  as  if  the  positions  were  reversed  and  I 
was  in  his  power,  not  he  in  mine. 

"  You  are  brave  enough  here  now,  no  doubt — you 
armed  against  me  unarmed. "  He  threw  this  sneer- 
ing taunt  at  me  with  deliberate  insolence. 

I  stared  at  him  first  in  amazement,  and  then  in 
admiration. 

I  had  but  to  raise  my  hand  to  kill  him  with  a 
stroke.  He  read  my  thoughts. 

"  What  do  I  care  for  my  life,  do  you  think  ?  Take 
it,  if  you  like.  One  murder  more — even  in  cold 
blood — is  a  little  matter  to  a  soldier." 

A  couple  of  turns  up  and  down  the  room  cooled  me. 

"  I  don't  want  your  life,"  said  I,  calmly.  "  Though 
it's  dangerous  to  call  me  a  coward,  and  were  you 
other  than  what  you  are,  I'd  ram  the  word  down  your 
throat.  With  you,  however,  I'll  deal  differently. 
You  say  I  was  afraid  to  attend  your  last  meeting. 
I'll  do  better  than  merely  call  that  a  lie,  I'll  prove 
it  one.  Call  another  meeting  in  as  big  a  place  as 
you  can,  pack  it  with  all  the  deadliest  cut-throats 


A  Lesson  in  Nihilism  91 

you  can  find,  resolve  to  shoot  me  down  as  I  enter  the 
door,  and  if  I  dare  not  attend  it,  then  call  me  coward 
— but  not  til\  then."  My  blood  was  up  now,  and  I 
spoke  as  hotly  as  I  felt. 

"  Will  you  come  ?  "  asked  the  man. 

"  Call  the  meeting  and  see.  Nay,  more.  Between 
now  and  the  time  of  the  meeting  think  of  the  wildest 
and  most  dangerous  scheme  that  you  can  to  test  what 
a  desperate  man  can  do  for  the  cause,  and  give  me 
the  lead  in  it.  And  when  I've  failed,  write  me 
down  traitor,  and  not  till  then.  And  now,  go,  or  by 
God,  I  may  forget  myself  and  lay  hands  on  you. " 

My  voice  rang  out  in  such  sharp,  stern  tones  that 
the  man's  antagonism  was  beaten  down  by  my  earn- 
estness. My  fierceness  seemed  to  fire  him,  and  when 
I  threw  open  the  door  for  him  to  go,  he  stood  a  mo- 
ment and  stared  into  my  face,  his  own  all  eagerness, 
light  and  wildness.  Then  he  exclaimed  in  a  tone  of 
intense  excitement : — 

"By  God,  I  believe  you're  true  after  all."  And 
with  that  he  went. 

It  was  not  until  the  man  had  been  gone  some  time 
and  I  was  pacing  up  and  down  my  room,  still  ex- 
cited, and  revolving  the  chances  of  this,  perhaps  the 
most  desperate  of  all  the  complications  which  threat- 
ened me,  that  I  saw  a  letter  on  tinted  paper,  lying 
on  my  table.  I  took  it  up  and  found  it  was  from 
Olga,  and  my  thoughts  went  back  with  a  rush  to  her 
and  to  the  circumstances  under  which  I  had  left  her 
that  evening. 

The  letter  was  not  very  long. 

*  MY  DEAR  BROTHER, 

"  I  have  not  ceased  to  regret  the  hasty  words  I 
spoke  to  you  this  evening.  Forgive  me.  Of  course 


92  By  Right  of  Sword 

you  do  not  think  me  a  coward ;  and  I  can  see  now 
that  you  must  have  some  other  motive  for  wishing 
me  to  leave  Moscow  and  Russia,  while  you  remain 
here  alone  to  face — what  may  have  to  be  faced.  But 
whatever  your  reason  is,  I  cannot  do  it.  Do  you  un- 
derstand that?  I  cannot.  That  is  stronger  than  I 
will  not.  I  think  you  know  me.  If  so,  you  know 
that  I  will  not  If  I  thought  you  believed  me  capable 
of  leaving  you  in  the  lurch  after  having  brought  all 
this  on  you,  I  should  wish  I  had  never  had — such  a 
brother.  I  will  never  even  let  you  mention  the 
matter  to  me  again. 

Your  sister, 

OLGA." 

I  read  this  letter  through  two  or  three  times,  each 
time  with  a  higher  opinion  of  the  staunch-hearted 
little  writer.  And  at  the  end  I  surprised  myself 
considerably  by  pressing  the  letter  involuntarily  to 
my  lips. 

She  was  a  girl  worth  a  good  tough  fight. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

THE   RIVERSIDE    MEETING. 

THE  Nihilists  were  not  long  in  taking  up  my  chal- 
lenge; and  on  the  following  afternoon,  the  man 
whom  I  had  interviewed  in  my  rooms  met  me  in  the 
street  and  told  me  I  was  to  meet  him  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Cathedral  Square  at  nine  o'clock  the  next 
night.  There  was  a  peremptory  ring  in  the  message 
which  I  didn't  care  for,  but  I  promised  to  keep  the 
appointment. 

I  had  thought  out  my  plans  and  had  come  to  see 
that  the  impulse  under  which  I  had  spoken  was  as 
shrewd  as  the  proposal  itself  was  risky.  If  I  was 
not  to  be  a  perpetual  mark  for  their  attacks,  I  must 
make  an  impression  on  them ;  and  I  saw  at  once  that 
the  safest  thing  that  could  happen  was  at  the  same 
time  the  most  daring — I  must  take  the  lead.  If 
some  desperate  scheme  were  placed  in  my  hands  for 
execution,  I  should  certainly  be  allowed  a  free  hand 
to  carry  it  out,  and  as  certainly  have  time  in  which 
to  do  it.  That  was  what  I  needed. 

I  did  not  place  the  danger  of  attending  the  meet- 
ing very  high.  If  I  were  not  murdered  on  my  way 
to  the  place,  wherever  it  might  be — and  that  was 
highly  improbable — I  did  not  think  they  would  ven- 
ture to  kill  me  at  the  meeting  itself.  Moreover  I 
reckoned  somewhat  on  the  effect  I  believed  I  had 
created  on  the  man  in  my  rooms. 


94  By  Right  of  Sword 

I  took  a  revolver  with  me  as  a  precaution ;  but  I 
had  little  doubt  about  getting  through  the  night 
safely. 

It  turned  out  to  be  a  very  different  affair  from 
anything  I  had  anticipated,  however,  and  taken  on 
the  whole  it  was  perhaps  one  of  the  most  thrilling 
experiences  I  have  ever  passed  through.  Whether 
I  was  really  in  danger  of  death  at  any  time,  or 
whether  the  whole  business  was  merely  intended  to 
try  and  scare  me,  I  don't  know.  But  I  believe  that 
jf  I  had  shewn  any  signs  of  fear,  they  would  have 
murdered  me  there  and  then.  Certainly  they  had 
all  the  means  at  hand. 

I  met  the  man  by  the  Cathedral,  and  muttering  to 
me  to  follow  him  at  twenty  paces  distance,  he  walked 
on  and  presently  plunged  into  a  labyrinth  of  streets, 
leading  from  the  Cathedral  down  to  the  river  in  the 
lowest  quarter  of  the  town.  The  place  was  ill  lit 
and  worse  drained,  and  the  noisome  atmosphere  of 
some  of  the  alleys  which  we  passed  and  the  mess 
through  which  we  trudged  were  horribly  repulsive. 

In  the  lowest  and  darkest  and  dirtiest  of  the  streets 
the  man  stopped  and  with  a  sign  to  me  not  to  speak, 
pointed  to  a  dark  tumbling  doorway.  As  I  entered 
it,  I  saw  it  was  about  the  aptest  scene  for  a  murder 
that  could  have  been  chosen. 

The  place  was  almost  pitch  dark,  and  as  we  had 
stepped  out  of  a  very  bright  moonlight,  I  had  to 
stand  a  moment  to  let  my  eyes  accustom  themselves 
to  the  change.  Then  I  made  out  a  broken,  rambling 
stairway  just  ahead  of  us.  Taking  it  for  granted 
that  I  was  to  go  up  these,  ignorant  whether  I  was 
supposed  to  know  the  place,  and  quite  unwilling  even 
to  appear  to  wish  to  hang  back,  I  stumbled  up  the 
stairs  as  quickly  as  the  gloom  would  let  me.  When 


The  Riverside  Meeting  95 

I  reached  the  top  I  found  myself  in  a  long,  low  shed 
that  ran  on  some  distance  in  front  of  me  to  a  point 
where  I  thought  I  could  discern  a  faint  light. 

I  groped  my  way  forward,  the  boards  giving  omin- 
ously under  my  feet,  when  suddenly  a  voice  said  in 
a  loud  whisper  out  of  the  gloom,  and  as  if  at  my  very 
ear:— 

"  Stand,  if  you  value  your  life." 

I  stopped  readily  enough,  as  may  be  imagined; 
and  then  the  silence  was  broken  by  the  swishing, 
rushing  swirl  of  the  swiftly  flowing  river,  while  cur- 
rents of  cold  air  caused  by  the  moving  water  were 
wafted  up  full  in  my  face.  I  strained  my  ears  to 
listen  and  my  eyes  to  see  and,  craning  forward,  I 
could  make  out  a  huge  gap  in  the  floor  wider  than  a 
man  could  have  leapt,  which  opened  right  to  my  very 
feet. 

What  happened  I  don't  know ;  it  was  too  dark  to 
see.  But  after  a  time  there  was  a  sound  of  a  heavily 
moving  body  close  at  my  feet,  the  noise  of  the  water 
grew  faint,  and  I  was  told  to  go  forward.  I  went  on 
until  I  was  again  called  to  a  halt;  and  after  a  min- 
ute the  sound  of  the  rushing  water  came  again  clear 
and  distinct,  this  time  from  behind  me.  Then  a 
flaring  light  was  kindled  all  suddenly  and  thrown 
down  into  the  wide  gap  until  with  a  hiss  it  was  ex- 
tinguished in  the  river  below. 

I  knew  what  that  meant.  It  was  a  signal  that  all 
hope  of  retreat  was  cut  off,  and  the  signal  was  given 
in  this  dramatic  fashion  to  frighten  me  if  my  nerves 
should  be  unsteady.  As  a  matter  of  fact  it  had 
rather  the  opposite  effect.  I  have  generally  found 
that  when  men  are  really  dangerous  they  are  least 
demonstrative.  These  things — the  darkness,  the 
silence,  the  rushing  water,  the  means  of  secret 


96  By  Right  of  Sword 

murder— were  all  calculated  to  frighten  weak  nerves 
no  doubt,  but  they  did  not  frighten  me. 

At  the  same  time  I  saw  that  if  the  men  wished  to 
murder  me,  they  had  ample  means  of  doing  it  safely, 
and  that  the  situation  might  easily  become  a  very 
ugly  one. 

Without  wasting  time  I  went  forward  again,  and 
passing  through  a  door  which  was  opened  at  my  ap- 
proach, I  found  myself  in  the  end  room  of  a  disused 
and  tumbling  riverside  warehouse ;  the  side  next  the 
river  being  quite  open  and  overhanging  the  waters. 
The  place  was  unlighted  save  for  the  bright  moon- 
light which  came  slanting  in  from  the  open  end,  and 
down  through  some  chinks  and  gaps  in  the  roof. 

Scattered  round  the  place  were  some  thirty  or 
forty  men,  their  faces  undistinguishable  in  the  gloom, 
though  care  was  taken  to  let  me  see  that  each  man 
carried  a  knife :  and  when  I  entered,  five  or  six  of 
them  closed  round  the  door,  as  if  to  guard  against 
the  possibility  of  my  retreat. 

I  glanced  about  me  to  see  whom  to  address  or  who 
would  speak  to  me. 

For  a  couple  of  minutes  or  more,  not  a  soul  moved 
and  not  a  word  was  spoken.  The  only  sounds  audi- 
ble were  these  which  came  from  the  river  without ; 
the  hushed  burr  of  night  life  from  the  dim  city 
beyond. 

"Your  plea  has  been  considered,"  said  a  voice  at 
length,  in  a  tone  scarcely  above  a  whisper;  but  I 
thought  I  could  recognise  it  as  that  of  the  man  who 
had  been  in  my  rooms.  "  It  has  been  resolved  not 
to  accept  it.  You  have  been  brought  here  to-night 
to  die." 

"As  you  will;  I  am  ready,"  I  answered  promptly. 
*  I  am  as  ready  to  lose  my  life  as  you  are  to  take  it." 


Here,  strike,"  I  cried. 


— Page  96. 


The  Riverside  Meeting  97 

*  Kneel  down,"  said  the  man. 

"  Not  I,"  I  cried,  resolutely.  "  If  I  am  to  die,  I 
prefer  to  stand.  But  here,  I'll  make  it  easier  for 
you.  Here's  the  only  weapon  I  have.  Take  it, 
someone."  I  laid  my  revolver  on  the  floor  in  a  little 
spot  where  a  glint  of  moonlight  fell  on  it.  Then  I 
threw  off  my  coat  and  waistcoat  and  turning  back  my 
shirt  bared  the  heart  side  of  my  breast.  If  they 
could  be  dramatic,  so  could  I,  I  thought.  "  Here, 
strike,"  I  cried.  "  And  all  I  ask  is  for  a  clean  quick 
thrust  right  to  the  heart."  I  was  growing  excited. 

"No.  13,"  said  the  man,  after  a  long  pause. 

A  tall,  broad,  huge  man  loomed  up  out  of  a  dark 
corner  and  stood  between  me  and  the  light  from  the 
river.  As  he  laid  his  hands  on  me,  the  clasp  was 
like  a  clamp  of  iron,  and  his  enormous  strength  made 
me  as  a  child  in  his  clutch. 

With  a  trick  that  seemed  to  tell  of  much  practice, 
he  seized  me  suddenly  by  the  right  arm,  holding  it 
in  a  grip  I  thought  no  man  on  earth  could  possess, 
and  bending  me  backwards  held  me  so  that  either 
my  throat  or  my  heart  were  at  the  mercy  of  the  long 
knife  he  held  aloft. 

I  let  no  sound  escape  me  and  did  not  move  a 
muscle.  The  next  instant  my  left  hand  was  seized 
and  a  finger  pressed  on  my  pulse.  In  this  position 
I  stayed  for  a  full  minute.  I  do  not  believe  that  my 
pulse  quickened,  save  for  the  physical  strain,  by  so 
much  as  one  beat. 

"It  is  enough,"  said  the  man  who  had  before 
spoken ;  and  I  was  released. 

"  You  are  no  coward,"  he  said,  addressing  me. 
"  I  withdraw  that.  You  can  have  your  life,  on  one 
Condition. " 

"And  that?" 


98  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  That  you  swear.  .  .   ." 

"I  will  swear  nothing,"  I  interposed. 

"  You  have  taken  the  oath  of  fealty." 

"  I  will  swear  nothing.  Take  my  life  if  you  like, 
but  swear  I  will  not.  If  I  had  meant  treachery,  I 
should  have  had  the  police  round  us  to-night  like  a 
swarm  of  bees.  You  have  had  a  proof  whether  I'm 
true  or  not;  and  when  I  turn  traitor,  you  can  run  a 
blade  into  my  heart  or  lodge  a  bullet  in  my  brain. 
But  oaths  are  nothing  to  a  man  who  means  either  to 
keep  or  break  his  word.  What  is  the  condition  ?  I 
told  you  mine  before." 

"  Yours  is  accepted.  Your  task  is  ". — here  he 
sunk  his  voice  and  whispered  right  into  my  ear — 
"the  death  of  Christian  Tueski." 

"  I  accept/'  I  answered  readily.  I  would  have  ac- 
cepted, had  they  told  me  to  kill  the  Czar  himself. 
"  But  it  will  take  time.  I  will  have  no  other  hand 
in  it  than  mine.  It  is  a  glorious  commission.  Mine 
alone  the  honour  of  success,  and  mine  alone  the 
danger,  or  mine  alone  the  disgrace  of  failure."  I 
looked  on  the  whole  thing  now  as  more  or  less  of  a 
burlesque ;  but  I  played  the  part  I  had  chosen  as 
well  as  I  could.  And  when  the  little  puny  rebel  put 
out  his  hand  in  the  darkness  and  clasped  mine,  I 
gripped  his  with  a  force  that  made  his  bones  crack, 
as  if  to  convey  to  him  the  intensity  of  my  resolve 
and  my  enthusiastic  pleasure  at  the  grim  work  they 
had  allotted  me. 

Then  I  was  told  to  leave ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  I 
was  once  more  in  the  open  air,  quite  as  undecided 
then  as  I  have  always  remained,  as  to  what  had  been 
the  real  intentions  in  regard  to  myself. 

One  of  my  chief  regrets  was  not  to  be  able  to  see 
the  burly  giant  who  had  twisted  me  about  on  his 


The  Riverside  Meeting  99 

knee  as  easily  as  I  should  a  fowl  whose  neck  I  meant 
to  wring.  He  was  a  man  indeed  to  admire;  and  1 
would  have  given  much  for  a  sight  of  him. 

But  my  guide  hurried  me  back  through  the 
labyrinth  of  streets  into  respectable  Moscow  once 
more,  and  I  was  soon  busy  with  my  thoughts,  as  to 
how  long  a  shrift  I  should  have  before  my  new 
"  comrades  "  would  grow  impatient  for  me  to  act. 

Certainly  they  would  have  plenty  of  time  for  their 
patience  to  grow  very  cold  before  I  should  turn  mur- 
derer to  further  their  schemes.  But  I  could  not 
foresee  the  strange  chain  of  events  which  was  fated 
to  fasten  on  me  this  new  character  that  I  had  as- 
sumed so  lightly  and  dramatically — the  character  of 
a  desperate,  bloodthirsty,  and  absolutely  reckless 
Nihilist. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

DEVINSKY    AGAIN. 

IT  will  be  readily  understood  that  I  now  found  life 
exciting  enough  even  to  satisfy  me.  The  complica- 
tions multiplied  so  fast,  without  any  act  of  mine, 
that  I  had  no  time  to  think  of  the  old  troubles  and 
disappointments  which  had  so  soured  Hamylton 
Tregethner,  and  emptied  life  for  him.  They  had 
already  faded  into  little  more  than  memories,  asso- 
ciated with  a  life  that  I  had  once  lived  but  had  now 
done  with  altogether.  I  was  getting  rapidly  absorbed 
by  the  dangers  and  incidents  of  the  new  life. 

How  completely  I  had  changed  the  current  of 
opinion  about  Alexis  Petrovitch  I  had  abundant  evi- 
dence during  the  next  few  days,  in  the  form  of  in- 
vitations to  houses  which  had  hitherto  been  closed  to 
me.  People  also  began  to  remember  Olga,  and  she 
shared  in  this  way  in  the  altered  condition  of  things. 

I  did  not  tell  her  any  particulars  of  my  night  with 
the  Nihilists,  nor  of  the  mission  with  which  I  was 
charged.  It  would  probably  distress  her,  and  could 
do  no  good;  unless  I  might  find  it  necessary  to  use 
it  to  compel  her  to  leave  Moscow.  I  questioned  her 
as  to  her  own  connections  with  the  Nihilists,  and 
from  what  she  told  me  I  saw  that  though  they  were 
slight  in  themselves,  they  were  enough  to  put  her  in 
the  power  of  a  woman  such  as  Paula  Tueski ;  and 
decidedly  much  more  than  sufficient  to  make  her 


Devinsky  Again  101 

surest  a  certainty  if  I  were  to  be  arrested,  or  if  any- 
thing should  happen  to  throw  increased  suspicion  on 
me. 

Our  meeting  after  her  letter  to  me  was  a  very 
pleasant  one.  She  met  me  with  a  smile  and  begged 
me  again  to  forgive  her.  That  was  not  difficult 

"  I  can  speak  franidy  to  my  brother,  now.  I 
couldn't  always,  you  know,  Alexis?" — she  glanced 
with  roguish  severity  into  my  face — "because  a  few 
days  ago  you  used  to  get  very  bad  tempered  and  even 
swear  a  little.  But  I'll  admit  you  are  improving — 
in  that  respect ;  though  I  am  afraid  you  are  as  dogged 
as  ever.  But  I  can  be  dogged,  too :  and  if  I  speak 
frankly  now,  it  is  to  tell  you  that  nothing  you  can  do 
will  make  me  go  out  of  Russia  until  you  are  safe. 
You  may  form  what  opinion  you  like  of  me — though 
I  don't  want  that  to  be  very  bad — but  a  coward  you 
shall  never  find  me." 

"I  didn't  think  you  a  coward.  You  know  that; 
you  said  it  in  your  letter;  and  I  shall  not  forgive 
that  rudeness  of  yours,  if  you  persist  in  this  attitude. " 

"  What  is  the  use  of  a  brother  if  one  can't  be  rude 
to  him,  pray?  As  for  your  forgiveness,  you  can't 
help  that  now.  You've  given  it.  Besides,  on  re- 
flection, I  should  not  be  frightened  of  you.  Will 
you  make  me  a  promise?  " 

"Yes,  if  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  your  going 
away." 

"  It  has." 

"  Then  I  won't  make  it.  But  I'll  make  a  truce. 
I  will  not  press  you  to  go  away,  unless  I  think  it 
necessary  for  my  own  safety.  Will  that  do  ?  " 

"Yes,  I'll  go  then,"  she  answered  readily,  holding 
out  her  hand  to  make  a  bargain  of  it,  as  she  added: 
—"Mind,  if  it's  necessary  for  your  safety," 


102  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  You're  as  precise  as  a  lawyer,"  said  I,  laughing, 
as  I  pressed  her  hand  and  saw  a  flush  of  colour  tinge 
her  face  a  moment. 

"  Now,"  she  said,  after  a  pause.  "  I  have  a  sur- 
prise for  you.  I  have  a  letter  from  an  old  friend  of 
yours — a  very  old  friend." 

"An  old  friend  of  mine.  Oh,  I  see.  An  old 
friend  of  your  brother's,  you  mean.  Well,  who  is  it 
now?  Is  there  another  complication?  " 

"No,  no.  An  old  friend  of  my  new  brother's. 
From  Mr.  Hamylton  Tregethner."  She  laughed 
merrily  as  she  stumbled  over  the  old  Cornish  syllables. 
"  I  don't  like  that  Englishman,"  she  said,  gravely. 
"  Do  you  know  why  ?  " 

"  Not  for  the  life  of  me." 

"Well,  I  do  not;  but  I  can't  say  why."  Her 
manner  was  peculiar.  "  See,  here  is  the  passport. 
Mr.  Tregethner  has  sent  it  and  he  seems  to  have 
crossed  the  Russian  frontier  without  the  least  diffi- 
culty. He  has  gone  to  Paris  by  way  of  Austria. 
When  shall  you  go  ?  "  She  did  not  look  up  as  she 
asked  this,  but  stood  rummaging  among  the  papers 
on  the  table.  I  took  the  passport,  unfolded  and  read 
it  mechanically ;  then  without  thinking,  folded  it  up 
again  and  put  it  away  in  my  pocket. 

Evidently  she  meant  it  as  my  dismissal ;  and  it 
was  very  awkward  for  me  to  explain  that  I  could  not 
be  dismissed  in  this  way  because  of  the  difficulties 
in  the  road  of  my  leaving.  I  did  not  wish  to  appear 
to  force  myself  upon  her  as  a  brother ;  but  I  could 
not  go  without  first  seeing  her  in  safety.  And  there 
was  the  crux. 

"  I'll  make  my  arrangements  as  soon  as  I  can,"  I 
replied,  after  a  longish  pause ;  and  I  was  conscious 
of  being  a  little  stiff  in  my  manner.  "  But  of  course 


Devinsky  Again  103 

I  can't  manage  things  quite  as  I  please.  You  see,  I 
didn't  come  into  this — I  mean,  I  took  up  the  part 
and — well,  I'm  hanged  if  I  know  what  I  do  mean ; 
except  that  of  course  I'm  sorry  to  seem  to  force  my- 
self on  you  longer  than  you  like,  but  I  can't  get  away 
quite  so  easily  as  you  seem  to  think.  I  know  it  puts 
you  in  an  awkward  position,  but  for  the  moment  I 
don't  for  the  life  of  me  see  how  it's  to  be  helped." 

As  I  finished  she  lifted  her  head,  and  her  expres- 
sion was  at  first  grave,  until  the  light  of  a  smile  in 
her  blue  eyes  began  to  spread  over  her  face,  and  the 
corners  of  her  mouth  twitched. 

"  Then  you  won't  be  able  to  go  yet  ?  Of  course, 
it's  very  awkward,  as  you  say :  but  I  must  manage  to 
put  up  with  it  as  best  I  can.  In  the  meantime  as  we 
have  to  continue  the  parts,  we  had  better  play  them 
so  as  to  mystify  people.  Don't  you  agree  with  this  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  that,  certainly,"  I  answered,  catch- 
ing her  drift,  and  smiling  in  my  turn. 

"Then  I  am  riding  this  afternoon  at  three  o'clock; 
and  as  it  might  occasion  remark  if  our  afternoon 
rides  were  broken  off  quite  suddenly,  don't  you  think 
it  would  be  very  diplomatic  if  you  were  to  come 
with  me?  " 

"  Yes,  very  diplomatic,"  I  assented,  readily.  "  But 
you  never  told  rue  before,"  said  I,  rising  to  go  and 
get  ready,  "  that  we  were  in  the  habit  of  riding  out 
together  every  day." 

"  It  hasn't  been  exactly  every  afternoon,"  answered 
Olga,  laughing.  "  In  fact,  it's  more  than  a  year  since 
the  last  ride,  but  the  principle  of  the  thing  is  the 
same.  We  ought  not  to  break  the  continuity. " 

"No,  we  ought  not  to  break  the  continuity,"  I 
assented,  laughing.  "I'll  soon  be  back."  I  was, 
and  an  exceedingly  jolly  ride  we  had.  Olga  was  a 


104  By  Right  of  Sword 

splendid  horsewoman — a  seat  like  a  circus  rider— 
and  as  soon  as  we  were  free  of  the  city  we  had  two 
or  three  rattling  spins.  As  we  rode  back  we  dis- 
cussed the  question  of  the  best  course  for  us  to  take. 

We  were  both  too  much  exhilarated  by  the  ride  to 
take  any  but  a  sanguine  view ;  and  so  far  as  I  am 
concerned,  I  think  I  talked  about  it  rather  as  a  sort 
of  link  between  us  two  than  in  any  serious  sense. 

When  I  got  to  my  rooms  I  was  surprised  to  learn 
from  my  servant  Borlas  that  my  old  opponent,  Major 
Devinsky,  had  called  to  see  me.  I  did  not  know  he 
was  back  in  Moscow,  though  I  knew  he  had  been 
away.  I  had  been  at  drill  that  morning — I  had 
quickly  fallen  into  the  routine  of  the  work — and  had 
beard  nothing  of  his  return.  Certainly  there  was  no 
reason  why  he  should  come  to  me,  though  there  were 
many  why  he  should  keep  away. 

He  may  have  watched  me  into  my  rooms,  for  al- 
most before  I  had  changed  my  riding  things  he  was 
announced.  He  came  in  smiling,  impudent,  self  as- 
sertive, and  disposed  to  be  friendly. 

"  What  can  you  want  with  me  that  can  induce  you 
to  come  here?"  I  asked  coldly. 

"  I  want  an  understanding,  Petrovitch — " 

"Lieutenant  Petrovitch,  if  you  please,"  I  inter- 
posed. 

"Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon,  Lieutenant  Petrovitch, 
I'm  sure,"  he  answered  lightly.  "But  there's  really 
no  need  for  this  kind  of  reception.  I  want  to  be 
friends  with  you." 

I  bowed  as  he  paused. 

"  You  and  I  have  not  quite  understood  each  other 
in  the  past." 

"  Not  until  within  the  last  few  days/'  I  returned 
iignificantly. 


Devinsky  Again  105 

"I'm  not  referring  to  that,"  he  said,  flushing. 
"Though  as  you've  started  it  I'll  pay  you  the  com- 
pliment of  saying  you're  devilish  neat  and  clever  in 
your  workmanship.  I  had  no  idea  of  it  either,  nor 
any  one  less.  .  ." 

"  What  do  you  want  with  me  ?"  I  interrupted,  with 
a  wave  of  the  hand,  to  stop  his  compliment. 

"  I  want  to  talk  quietly  over  with  you  my  suit  for 
your  sister's  hand.  I  want  to  know  where  we  stand, 
you  and  I. " 

"  My  sister's  hand  is  not  mine  to  give."  Thi* 
very  curtly. 

"  I  don't  ask  you  to  give  it,  man.  I  only  want  to 
win  it.  I  am  as  good  a  match  for  her  as  any  man  in 
Moscow  ..."  and  with  that  he  launched  out  into  a 
long  account  of  his  wealth,  position  and  prospects,  and 
of  the  position  his  wife  would  occupy. 

I  let  him  talk  as  long  as  he  would,  quite  undei-- 
standing  that  this  was  only  the  preface  to  something 
else — the  real  purpose  of  his  visit.  Gradually  he 
drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  point,  and  I  saw  him 
eyeing  me  furtively  to  note  the  effect  of  his  words, 
which  he  weighed  very  carefully.  He  spoke  of  his 
family  influence ;  how  he  could  advance  my  interests ; 
what  an  advantage  it  was  to  have  command  of  wealth 
when  making  an  army  career,  and  much  more,  until 
he  showed  me  that  what  he  really  intended  was  to 
presume  on  my  old  evil  reputation  and  bribe  me 
with  money  down  if  necessary,  and  with  promises 
of  future  help,  if  I  would  agree  to  let  Olga  marry 
him. 

"Your  proposal  put  in  plain  terms  means,"  I  said, 
bluntly,  when  he  had  exhausted  his  circuitous  sug- 
gestions, "  that  you  want  to  buy  my  consent  and  as- 
sistance. I  told  you  at  the  start  that  my  sister's 


,o6  By  Right  of  Sword 

hand  was  not  mine  to  give ;  neither  is  it  mine  to  sell, 
Major  Devinsky." 

He  bent  a  sharp,  calculating  look  on  me  as  if  to 
judge  whether  I  was  in  earnest  or  merely  raising  my 
terms. 

"  I  am  not  a  man  easily  baulked,"  he  said. 

"Nor  I  one  easily  bribed,"  I  retorted. 

"  You  will  have  a  fortune,  and  more  than  a  fortune 
behind  you.  With  skill  like  yours  you  can  climb  to 
any  height  you  please. " 

"  Sink  to  any  depth  you  please,  you  should  say,"  I 
answered  sternly.  "  But  my  sister  declines  absolutely 
to  be  your  wife.  She  dislikes  you  cordially — as  cor- 
dially as  I  do :  and  no  plea  that  you  could  offer  would 
induce  her  to  change  her  mind." 

"  You  weren't  always  very  solicitous  about  her 
wishes,"  he  muttered,  with  an  angry  sneer.  I  didn't 
understand  this  allusion,  but  it  made  me  very  angry. 

"You  are  under  my  roof,"  I  cried  hotly.  "But 
even  here  you  will  be  good  enough  to  put  some  guard 
on  your  speech.  It  may  clear  your  thoughts  to  know 
what  my  present  feelings  are. "  I  now  spoke  with 
crisp,  cutting  emphasis.  "  If  my  sister  could  by  any 
art  or  persuasion  be  induced  to  be  your  wife,  I  would 
never  consent  to  exchange  another  word  with  her  in 
all  my  life.  As  for  the  veiled  bribe  you  have  offered, 
I  allowed  you  to  make  it,  that  I  might  see  how  low 
you  would  descend.  Sooner  than  accept  it,  I  would 
break  my  sword  across  my  knee  and  turn  cabman  for 
a  living.  But  your  visit  shall  have  one  result — I 
will  tell  my  sister  all  that  has  passed  .  .  ." 

"  By  heaven,  if  you  dare. " 

"  All  that  has  passed  now,  and  if  she  would  rather 
marry  you  than  retain  her  relationship  to  me,  I  will 
retire  in  your  favor.  But  you  will  do  well  not  to  be 


Devinsky  Again  107 

hopeful/  I  could  not  resist  this  rather  petty  little 
sneer. 

"  You  will  live  to  repent  this,  Lieutenant  Petro- 
vitch." 

"  At  your  service,"  I  replied,  quietly,  with  a  bow. 

He  was  white  to  the  lips  with  anger  when  he  rose 
to  go,  and  he  seemed  as  if  fighting  to  keep  back  the 
utterance  of  some  hot  insult  that  rose  to  his  tongue. 
But  his  rage  got  no  farther  than  ugly  looks,  and  he 
was  still  wrestling  with  his  agitation  when  he  left 
the  room. 

I  could  understand  his  chagrin.  He  would  have 
dearly  liked  to  force  me  at  the  point  of  the  sword  to 
consent,  and  the  knowledge  that  this  was  no  longer 
possible,  that  in  some  way  which  of  course  he  could 
not  understand  I  had  broken  his  influence  and  was  no 
Jonger  afraid  of  him,  galled  and  maddened  him  almost 
beyond  endurance.  He  looked  the  baffled  bully  to 
the  life. 

It  was  two  days  before  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
speaking  to  Olga  about  it.  I  had  made  a  rule  of 
seeing  her  daily  if  possible,  lest  anything  should  hap- 
pen that  needed  explanation  by  her;  but  she  was 
away  the  next  day  and  our  daily  "  business  confer- 
ence" did  not  take  place. 

She  took  the  matter  very  curiously  when  I  did 
mention  it,  however.  She  was  a  creature  of  chang- 
ing moods,  indeed. 

"  I  have  a  serious  matter  to  speak  to  you  about ; 
something  that  may  perhaps  surprise  you,"  I  said, 
when  we  were  riding.  "  I  am  the  bearer  of  a  mes- 
sage to  you." 

"  To  me  ?"  her  face  wrinkling  with  curiosity. 

"  Yes,  to  you.  I  have  to  be  very  much  the  brother 
in  this — in  fact,  the  head  of  the  family,"  and  then 


lo8  By  Right  of  Sword 

without  much  beating  about  the  bush  I  told  her  of  De< 
vinsky's  visit  and  of  his  desire  to  make  her  his  wife. 

She  listened  to  me  very  seriously,  scanning  my  face 
the  while,  but  did  not  interrupt  me.  I  had  expected 
a  contemptuous  and  passionate  refusal.  But  her 
attitude  was  simply  a  conundrum.  She  heard  me  out 
to  the  end  with  gravity,  and  when  I  had  finished 
reined  in  her  horse  and  for  a  full  minute  stared  point 
blank  into  my  eyes. 

Then  she  laughed  lightly,  and  asked  as  she  sent 
her  horse  forward  again : — 

"Do  you  think  I  ought  to  marry  him — brother?" 

Frankly,  I  was  a  good  deal  disappointed  at  her  con- 
duct. I  did  not  see  that  there  could  be  a  moment's 
hesitation  about  her  answer,  especially  after  all  she 
had  said  to  me  about  the  man.  And  this  feeling 
may  perhaps  have  shown  in  my  manner. 

"  I  could  do  no  less  than  tell  you  of  the  proposal, 
considering  that  Devinsky  believes  in  the  relation- 
ship between  us,"  I  said.  "  But  I  don't  see  how  you, 
knowing  everything,  can  look  to  me  for  the  judgment 
I  should  have  had  to  give  were  that  relationship  real 
and  I  actually  head  of  the  family." 

This  stilted  reply  seemed  to  please  her,  for  she 
glanced  curiously  at  me  and  then  smiled,  as  I  thought, 
almost  merrily,  or  even  mischievously,  as  she  re- 
plied : — 

"  A  proposal  of  marriage  is  a  very  serious  thing, 
Alexis." 

"  Yes,  and  so  people  often  find  it. " 

"  Major  Devinsky  is  very  rich  and  very  influential. 
He  is  right  when  he  says  that  his  wife  would  have  a 
very  good  position  in  one  way  in  Moscow." 

"  I  wish  her  much  happiness  with  him,"  I  retorted 
grimly. 


"  Alexis,  did  you  bring  that  proposal  to  me  deliberately  ?  " 

—Page  109. 


Devinsky  Again  109 

"  He  is  very  handsome,  too. " 

I  said  nothing.     She  disappointed  and  vexed  me. 

"  Ah,  you  men  never  see  other  men's  good  looks. 
Vou're  very  moody,"  she  added,  after  a  pause,  when 
she  found  me  still  silent. 

"  I  don't  admire  Major  Devinsky,"  I  said  rather 
sullenly. 

She  laughed  so  heartily  at  this  and  seemed  evi- 
dently so  pleased  that  I  wished  I  had  Sound  the 
laugh  less  musical.  Next,  she  looked  at  me  again 
thoughtfully  before  she  spoke,  as  if  to  weigh  the 
effect  of  her  words. 

"  It  would  be  greatly  to  your  advantage,  too, 
Alexis,  to  have  Major  Devinsky.  .  ." 

"  Thank  you,"  I  cut  in  shortly.  "  I  do  not  seek 
Major  Devinsky's  patronage.  When  I  cannot  climb 
or  stand  without  it,  I'll  fall,  and  quite  contentedly, 
even  if  I  break  my  neck.  Shall  we  get  on?"  And  I 
urged  my  horse  to  a  quick  trot.  My  evident  irrita- 
tion at  her  suggestion — for  I  could  not  hear  the  mat- 
ter without  showing  my  resentment — seemed  to 
please  her  as  much  as  anything,  for  she  smiled  as 
her  nag  cantered  easily  at  my  side.  But  I  would 
not  look  at  her.  If  she  meant  to  marry  Devinsky,  I 
meant  what  I  had  said  to  him.  I  would  have  no 
more  to  do  with  the  business,  and  I  would  get  out  of 
Russia  as  soon  as  possible  the  best  way  I  could. 

A  sidelong  glimpse  that  I  caught  of  Olga's  face 
after  awhile  showed  me  that  the  look  of  laughing 
pleasure  had  died  away  and  had  given  place  to  a 
thoughtful  and  rather  stern  expression.  "Making 
up  her  mind,"  was  my  thought,  and  then,  having  a 
stretch  of  road  ahead,  I  quickened  up  my  horse's 
speed  to  a  hard  gallop  and  we  had  a  quick  burst  at  a 
rattling  pace. 


no  By  Right  of  Sword 

When  we  pulled  up  and  stood  to  breathe  our 
horses  before  turning  their  heads  homewards,  the 
girl's  cheeks  were  all  aglow  with  ruddy  colour  and 
her  eyes  dancing  with  the  excitement  of  the  gallop. 
She  made  such  a  picture  of  beautiful  womanhood 
that  I  was  forced  to  gaze  at  her  in  sheer  admiration. 

We  had  not  spoken  since  I  had  closed  the  last  bit 
of  dialogue,  and  now  she  manoeuvred  her  horse  quite 
close  to  me  and  said :  — 

"  Alexis,  did  you  bring  that  proposal  to  me  delib- 
erately? " 

"  Yes.  It  was  scarcely  a  question  I  could  answer 
for  you." 

"  Couldn't  you  ?"  Her  eyes  rested  on  mine  with 
an  expression  that  at  another  time  I  should  have 
read  as  reproach.  "  Did  you  think  there  could  be  any 
but  one  answer  ?  " 

"  No,  I  didn't.  But  one  never  knows,"  I  said  re- 
membering what  she  had  said  just  before  the  gallop. 

"  Don't  you  ?  Well,  you  must  think  we  Russian 
women  are  poor  stuff !  One  day,  ready  to  sneak  off 
in  disgraceful  cowardice :  and  the  next,  willing  to 
marry  an  utterly  despicable  wretch  because  he  has 
money,  and  influence,  and  position.  Do  you  mean 
to  tell  me  that  you,  acting  as  my  brother,  actually 
let  this  man  make  this  proposition  in  cold  blood,  and 
did  not  hurl  him  out  of  your  rooms  ?  You !  " 

I  stared  at  her  in  sheer  amazement  at  the  change, 
and  could  find  not  a  word  to  say.  Nor  was  there  any 
need.  Now  that  her  real  feelings  had  forced  them- 
selves to  words  she  had  plenty :  and  for  some  min- 
utes she  did  nothing  but  utter  protestation  after 
protestation  of  her  hatred  and  contempt  of  Devinsky : 
while  her  hits  at  me  for  having  been  the  mouthpiece 
of  the  man  were  many  and  hartf  What  angered 


Devinsky  Again  in 

her  was,  she  said,  to  feel  that  the  smallest  doubt  of 
her  intention  had  been  left  in  Devinsky's  mind;  and 
it  was  not  till  I  told  her  much  more  particularly  and 
exactly  all  that  had  passed  on  this  point  that  she  was 
satisfied. 

We  had  ridden  some  way  homewards  when  her 
mood  changed  again,  and  laughter  once  more  pre- 
vailed. 

"  So  you  told  him  I  must  choose  between  him  and 
— my  brother;  or  rather  my  present  relationship  to 
you  ? " 

"  I  told  him  I  would  never  speak  to  you  again  if 
you  married  him." 

"  Well,  I  have  chosen,"  she  replied  at  once.  "  I 
shall  not  give  up — my  brother,"  and  with  that  she 
pricked  up  her  nag  and  we  rattled  along  fast,  her 
cheeks  growing  ruddier  and  ruddier  than  ever  with 
the  exercise. 

I  couldn't  follow  her  change  of  mood ;  but  I  was 
heartily  glad  she  had  decided  to  have  nothing  to  do 
with  Devinsky.  She  was  far  too  good  a  girl  to  be 
wasted  on  him. 


CHAPTER   X. 

"THAT  BUTCHER,  DURESCQ." 

WE  were  not  by  any  means  done  with  Devinsky 
yet,  however,  and  I  was  to  have  striking  proof  of 
this  a  couple  of  days  later.  I  met  him  in  the  inter- 
val as  men  in  the  same  regiment  are  bound  to  meet ; 
and  I  deemed  it  best  to  avoid  all  open  rupture,  seeing 
that  he  was  my  superior  officer,  and  unpleasant  con- 
sequences to  others  beside  myself  might  result. 

I  told  him  shortly  that  Olga  declined  his  offer  and 
that  it  must  never  be  renewed.  He  took  it  coolly 
enough,  replying  only  that  his  feelings  for  her  would 
never  change,  nor  should  he  abandon  the  resolve  to 
make  her  his  wife.  Then  he  made  overtures  of 
peace  and  apologised  for  what  he  had  said.  I 
thought  it  discreet  to  patch  up  a  sort  of  treaty  of 
mutual  tolerance. 

I  was  speaking  of  this  to  Essaieff,  to  whom,  in 
common  with  all  the  mess,  Devinsky's  infatuation 
for  Olga  was  perfectly  well  known,  and  my  former 
second  seemed  particularly  impressed  by  it.  Since 
the  duel  I  had  seen  more  of  him  than  of  any  other 
man,  and  I  liked  him.  I  could  be  with  him  more 
safely  than  with  others,  moreover,  because  he  had 
seen  so  little  of  the  unregenerate  Alexis.  Every 
man  who  had  been  at  all  intimate  with  my  former 
self  I  now  avoided  altogether,  because  of  the  risk 
of  detection — although  this  risk  was  of  course  dimin- 
ishing with  every  day  that  passed. 


"That  Butcher,  Durescq'*         113 

"  I  don't  like  what  you  say,  Petrovitch,"  said  Es- 
saieff,  after  he  had  thought  it  over.  "  I'm  convinced 
Devinsky's  a  dangerous  man ;  and  if  he  attempts  to 
make  things  up  with  you,  depend  upon  it  he's  got 
some  ugly  reason  behind." 

"A  reason  in  petticoats,"  said  I,  lightly.  "A 
brother's  a  charming  fellow  to  a  man  in  love  with 
the  sister." 

"  No  doubt ;  but  he  thought  he  was  going  to  kill 
the  '  charming  fellow  '  in  that  duel.  Why  did  he  go 
away ;  and  where  did  he  go  ?  " 

"He  didn't  tell  me  his  private  business,  natu- 
rally." 

"  Yet  I'm  much  mistaken  if  it  didn't  in  some  way 
concern  you." 

"  I  don't  see  how." 

"  We  don't  see  the  sun  at  midnight,  man ;  but  that'i 
only  because  there's  something  in  the  line  of  sight. 
Other  people  can  see  it  clearly  enough." 

"Well,  I  don't  see  this  sun,  any  way;  and  I'm 
not  going  to  worry  about  it. " 

"Have  you  ever  heard  of  Durescq?  Alexandra 
Durescq  ?  "  he  asked  after  a  pause. 

"No,  never,"  I  answered  promptly,  making  one  of 
ihose  slips  which  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  avoid 
In  my  private  chats.  EssaiefF s  next  words  shewed 
me  my  blunder. 

"My  dear  fellow,  you  must  have  heard  of  him. 
Durescq,  the  duellist.  The  man  who  has  the  repu- 
tation of  being  the  best  swordsman  in  the  Russian 
army.  The  French  fellow  who  naturalised,  and 
clapped  a  '  c '  into  his  name  and  cut  off  the  tail  of  it 
to  raak-e  Duresque  into  Durescq.  Why,  he  was  here 
last  year,  and  dined  with  us  at  the  mess.  Devinsky 
brought  him.  You  had  joined  us  then  surely  and 
i 


114  By  Rigk*  of  Sword 


must  have  been  introduced  by  Devinsky  ?  You  must 
remember  him." 

"  Oh,  that  Durescq ! "  I  exclaimed,  as  if  recalling 
the  incident. 

" '  That  Durescq !  *  There's  no  other  fc*  the  whole 
Russian  army,"  said  Essaieff  drily.  "And  if  he 
heard  you  say  it,  he'd  waht  an  explanation  quickly 
enough." 

"  I  was  thinking  for  a  minute  of  another  Duresque, 
Essaieff,  whom  I  knew  much  better.  Different  sex, 
whose  killing  of  men  was  done  in  a  different  way." 
I  smiled  as  I  made  the  equivocation. 

"  I  met  him  this  morning,"  said  my  companion, 
not  noticing  my  remark  and  looking  more  thoughtful 
than  before.  "  I  wonder  if  Devinsky's  absence  has 
anything  to  do  with  Durescq 's  presence;  and 
whether  .  .  ."  he  paused  and  looked  at  me.  "  It 
would  be  a  damnably  ugly  business ;  but  Devinsky's 
not  incapable  of  it ;  and  so  far  as  I  know,  the  other 
man's  worse  than  he  is.  Moreover,  I  know  that  they 
have  been  together  in  more  than  one  very  dirty  affair. 
There  are  ugly  items  enough  standing  to  both  their 
debits.  But  this  would  be  murder — sheer,  deliber- 
ate, damnable  murder,  and  nothing  else." 

I  had  rarely  seen  him  so  excited  as  he  was  now. 

"  You  think  Devinsky  has  brought  this  man  here 
to  do  what  he  couldn't  do  himself  the  other  morn- 
ing?" 

"  I  don't  say  I  think  it,"  replied  Essaieff,  cautious- 
ly. "  I  shouldn't  like  to  think  it  of  any  man :  but  if 
I  were  you  I'd  be  a  bit  cautious  about  getting  into  a 
quarrel." 

"  Caution  be  hanged,"  I  cried.  "  If  that's  their 
game  I'll  force  the  pace  for  them.  We'll  have  a  real 
fight  next  time,  Essaieff,  and  we'll  make  the  thing 


"That  Butcher,   Durescq"          115 

such  that  one  of  us  is  bound  to  go  under.  But  I'll 
have  one  condition,  and  one  only — that  Devinsky 
meets  me  first.  And  if  I  don't  send  him  first  to  hell 
to  wait  for  his  friend  or  act  as  my  avant  courier, 
may  I  have  the  palsy." 

"What  a  fire-devil  you've  turned,  Alexis,"  said 
Essaieff,  enthusiastically.  It  was  the  first  time  he 
nad  used  my  Christian  name,  and  it  pleased  me. 
"  Even  the  rankers  have  found  you  out  now.  '  That 
devil  Alexis,'  is  what  they  call  you  one  to  the  other, 
since  you  beat  their  best  men  in  leaping,  and  run- 
ning, and  staff  playing.  If  the  war  comes,  as  like 
good  Russians  we  pray  it  may,  what  a  time  you'll 
have.  They'll  follow  you  anywhere.  Yes,  there's 
shrewdness  enough  in  your  last  devilment.  If  you 
insist  on  first  killing  Devinsky,  Durescq  will  prob- 
ably take  back  a  bloodless  sword  to  the  capital." 

His  pithy  reference  to  the  feeling  in  the  regiment 
touched  my  vanity  on  its  weak  spot,  and  gave  me 
quite  disproportionate  pleasure.  As  we  talked  over 
this  possible  plan  of  Devinsky's  I  tried  to  get  him  to 
speak  of  the  feeling  again.  It  is  rather  a  paltry  con- 
fession to  make ;  but  the  nick-name,  '  That  devil 
Alexis,'  was  exactly  what  I  would  have  wished  to 
bear. 

Although  Essaieff  had  suggested  this  action  on  the 
part  of  Devinsky,  I  scarcely  thought  it  possible  that 
he  would  do  what  we  had  discussed;  but  I  had  not 
been  many  minutes  in  the  club  that  evening  before 
the  thing  seemed  not  only  probable,  but  certain; 
and  I  saw  that  I  had  a  very  ugly  corner  to  turn. 

Alexandre  Durescq  was  there  and  I  eyed  him  curi- 
ously. He  was  taller  than  I  by  an  inch,  but  not  so 
broad.  His  figure  was  well  knit  and  lithe,  and  he 
moved  with  the  air  which  a  man  gets  whose  sinews 


Ii6  By  Right  of  Sword 

are  of  steel  and  are  kept  in  perfect  condition  by  con« 
stant  and  severe  training.  He  was  the  type  of  a 
sinewy  athlete. 

His  face  was  a  most  unpleasant  one.  The  features 
were  thin  and  all  very  long ;  and  the  thinness  added 
to  the  apparent  abnormal  length  from  brow  to  chin. 
His  complexion  was  almost  Mongolian  in  its  sallow- 
ness;  his  hair  coal  black,  and  his  eyes,  set  close  to 
his  large  and  very  prominent  aquiline  nose,  were 
small  but  brilliant  in  expression  and  seemingly  coal 
black  in  colour.  Altogether  a  most  remarkable  look- 
ing man ;  and  I  was  not  astonished  that  Essaieff  had 
been  surprised  when  I  said  I  had  forgotten  him.  He 
was  not  a  man  to  be  forgotten. 

The  expression  of  his  face  was  sardonic  and  sat- 
urnine, and  his  manners  and  gestures  were  all  satu- 
rated with  intense  self-assertiveness.  He  moved, 
looked,  and  spoke  as  though  he  felt  that  everyone 
was  at  once  beneath  him  and  afraid  of  him. 

He  was  at  the  far  end  of  the  room  when  I  entered, 
and  I  saw  Devinsky  stoop  and  whisper  to  him  imme- 
diately he  caught  sight  of  me.  The  man  turned 
slightly  and  glanced  in  my  direction,  and  my  in- 
stincts warned  me  of  danger. 

I  would  not  baulk  the  pair ;  but  I  would  not  pro- 
voke the  quarrel.  I  moved  quietly  about  the  room, 
chatting  tvith  one  man  and  another;  but  keeping  a 
wary  eye  disengaged  for  the  two  at  the  other  end. 
Gradually  I  worked  my  way  round  to  where  they 
were,  and  both  rose  as  I  approached.  I  saw  too, 
that  Devinsky's  old  seconds  and  toadies  were  near 
and  were  watching  me  and  smirking.  They  formed 
a  group  of  three  or  four  men  who  .seemed  to  me  to 
have  intimation  what  wrs  coxixfvp  'XH^y  were  wait- 
ing to  see  me  "  jumped." 


««That  Butcher,  Durescq'8         117 

I  knew,  however,  that  if  I  kept  quiet,  I  should 
make  the  task  more  difficult  for  the  pair,  and  thus 
compel  Devinsky  to  shew  his  hand ;  and  so  give  me 
the  pretext  I  needed  to  force  the  first  fight  on  him. 

"  Good  evening,  Petrovitch,  or  Lieutenant  Petro- 
vitch,  I  suppose  I  should  say,"  said  Devinsky,  and 
the  instant  he  spoke  I  could  tell  he  had  been  drink- 
ing. "  I  think  you've  met  my  friend  Captain  Du 
rescq?" 

"Not  yet,"  I  said,  looking  straight  into  Devinsky's 
eyes  with  a  meaning  he  read  and  didn't  like. 

"Is  this  the  gentleman  who  is  so  particular  in 
asserting  his  lieutenancy?  Good  evening,  Lieuten- 
ant Petrovitch."  He  said  this  in  a  one  that  was 
insufferably  insolent ;  and  as  if  to  point  the  insult, 
the  two  toadies,  when  they  heard  it,  sniggered  audibly. 

Nothing  could  have  played  better  into  my  hands. 
All  four  made  an  extraordinary  blunder,  since  they 
shewed,  before  I  had  opened  my  lips,  that  the  object 
was  to  force  a  quarrel ;  and  thus  the  sympathies  of 
every  decent  man  in  the  place  were  on  my  side.  I 
kept  cool.  I  was  too  wary  to  take  fire  yet. 

"  I  thought  you  knew  Captain  Durescq  when  he 
was  here  last  year,"  said  Devinsky.  "  But  you  may 
have  forgotten." 

"  Good  evening,  Captain  Durescq,"  said  I,  ignor- 
ing Devinsky  and  returning  the  other  man's  greeting. 
"  What  is  the  latest  war  news  in  St.  Petersburg  ?  " 

"  Bad  for  those  who  do  not  like  fighting,"  he  said, 
looking  at  me  in  a  way  that  turned  this  to  a  personal 
insult. 

"  But  good,  perhaps,  for  those  soldiers  whose  swords 
are  to  hire,"  I  returned,  with  a  smile  which  did  not 
make  my  point  less  plain. 

The  man's  eyes  flashed, 


Il8  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  They  will  take  the  place  of  your  friends  who  do 
not  like  the  fighting,"  I  added;  and  at  this  all  about 
us  grew  suddenly  silent. 

"  My  friends  ?  How  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  Du- 
rescq  stiffly. 

"Those  you  mentioned  in  your  first  sentence. 
Whom  else  should  I  mean  ?"  and  I  let  my  eye  rest  as 
if  by  accident  on  Devinsky. 

"  You  have  a  singular  manner  of  expressing  your- 
self, Lieutenant." 

"  We  provincials  do  not  always  copy  the  manners 
of  the  capital,  you  know,"  I  returned  in  my  pleasant 
manner.  "  I  think  the  provinces  are  growing  more 
and  more  independent  every  year.  We  arrange  our 
own  affairs  in  our  own  way,  have  our  own  etiquette, 
form  our  own  associations,  and  settle  our  own  quar- 
rels without  aid  from  the  capital." 

I  heard  Devinsky  swear  softly  into  his  moustache 
at  this ;  but  there  was  nothing  for  them  to  take  hold 
of,  though  every  man  in  the  room  understood  what  I 
meant ;  and  nearly  all  were  now  listening. 

"  Yes,  I  have  heard  you  have  singular  manners  in 
the  provinces.  My  friend  here,  Devinsky,  has  told 
me  several  curious  things.  I  heard  of  one  provincial, 
for  instance,  who  allowed  himself  to  be  insulted  and 
browbeaten  till  his  cowardice  was  almost  a  byword, 
and  it  became  really  impossible  for  him  to  remain 
in  the  army  unless  he  accepted  the  challenge  he  had 
so  often  refused.  And  then  he  begged,  almost  with 
tears,  to  get  terms  made;  and  when  this  was  not 
done,  he  deadened  his  fears  with  drink  and  came  to 
the  club  here  like  a  witless  fool,  behaving  like  a 
drunken  clown;  and  then  at  last  actually  went  out 
and  fought  in  a  condition  of  seeming  delirium.  We 
do  not  have  that  in  the  capital.  In  St.  Petersburg 


"That  Butcher,  Durescq**         119 

we  should  have  such  a  scabby  rascal  whipped  on  a 
gun." 

A  movement  among  the  group  of  toadies  shewed 
me  how  this  burlesque  of  my  conduct  was  appre* 
ciated  there,  while  Devinsky  was  grinning  boastfully. 

"Did  Major  Devinsky  tell  you  that?"  I  asked; 
my  voice  down  at  least  two  tones  in  my  excitement, 
while  my  pulses  thrilled  at  the  insult.  But  outwardly 
I  was  calm. 

"  Yes,  I  think  that'a  pretty  fair  description,  isn't 
it,  Devinsky  ? "  replied  Durescq,  turning  coolly  t« 
the  latter  for  confirmation.  Then  he  turned  again 
to  me  and  asked : — "  Why,  do  you  recognise  the 
description,  Lieutenant  Petrovitch  ?  " 

"  You  have  not  heard  the  whole  of  the  story,"  I 
answered,  getting  the  words  out  with  difficulty  be- 
tween teeth  I  had  to  clench  hard  to  keep  my  passion 
under  control.  "  The  man  who  was  beaten  in  the  duel 
left  Moscow  in  a  panic  and  went  to  St.  Petersburg 
for  a  purpose — that  you  may  perhaps  approve." 
There  was  now  dead  silence  in  all  the  room  and  the 
eyes  of  every  man  in  it  were  rivetted  on  me. 

"The  first  object  of  the  duel  was  that  he  might 
kill  in  it  the  man  whose  skill  was  thought  to  be  in* 
ferior  to  his  own,  so  that  he  might  persecute  with  his 
disgusting  attentions  the  sister  of  him  on  whom  he 
had  fixed  the  quarrel.  Failing,  he  went  to  fetch  a 
cleverer  sword  than  his  own  to  do  his  dirty  work ;  and 

he  fetched "  I  paused  and  then  my  rage  burst 

out  like  a  volcano — "  He  fetched  a  butcher  named 
Durescq  to  do  butcher's  work;  and,  I,  by  God  I  won't 
baulk  him." 

With  this  I  lost  all  control,  and  springing  upon 
him  I  seized  his  nose  and  wrung  it  and  twisted  it, 
dragging  his  head  from  side  to  side  in  my  ungovern- 


I2O  By  Right  of  Sword 

able  fury,  until  I  nearly  broke  my  teeth  with  the 
straining  force  with  which  I  clenched  them.  Then 
raising  my  hand  I  slapped  his  face  with  a  force  and 
loudness  that  resounded  right  through  the  room  and 
made  every  man  start  and  wonder  what  would  come 
next. 

"  That  is  from  the  man  you  say  dare  not  fight. 
One  last  word.  Before  I  meet  the  butcher,  I  insist 
on  meeting  the  man  who  hired  him.  Lieutenant 
Essaieff  will  act  for  me." 

With  that  I  left  the  room,  feeling  that  although  I 
was  now  all  but  certain  to  be  killed  by  Durescq 
'  should  at  least  die  as  became  "  that  devil  Alexis.0 


CHAPTER  XL 

DANGER  FROM  A  FRESH  SOURCE. 

I  WALKED  home  with  a  feeling  of  rare  exhilaration. 
Whatever  happened,  this  was  my  own  quarrel,  and  I 
had  so  acted  as  to  secure  the  sympathy  of  all  who 
knew  the  facts.  The  quarrel  had  been  fixed  on  me 
in  public  in  a  manner  peculiarly  disgraceful  to  both 
my  opponents,  and  if  they  killed  me,  it  would  be  mur- 
der. 

If  on  the  other  hand  I  could  kill  either  or  both, 
the  world  would  be  the  sweeter  and  purer  for  their 
riddance.  Moreover  I  had  so  arranged  matters  that  I 
saw  how  I  should  have  at  least  an  equal  chance  of 
my  life. 

I  should  have  the  choice  of  weapons  and  I  would 
fight  Devinsky  with  swords  and  the  "  butcher  "  with 
pistols. 

I  thought  much  about  Durescq's  skill.  He  had  a 
huge  reputation  both  as  a  swordsman  and  a  shot ;  but 
I  was  very  confident  in  my  own  skill  with  the  sword, 
and  inclined  to  doubt  whether  he  could  beat  me  even 
with  that.  In  the  end,  however,  I  decided  not  to  run 
that  risk.  The  issue  should  be  left  to  chance.  The 
duel  should  be  fought  with  pistols.  One  should  be 
loaded,  and  one  unloaded ;  and  a  toss  should  settle 
which  each  should  have.  We  would  then  stand  at 
arm's  length,  the  barrel  of  one  man's  weapon  touch- 
ing the  other's  forehead.  The  man  to  whom  Fortune 


122  By  Right  of  Sword 

gave  the  loaded  weapon  would  thus  be  bound  to  blow 
the  other's  brains  out,  whether  he  had  any  skill  or 
not  Both  would  stand  equal  before  Fortune. 

About  an  hour  later,  Essaieff  came  to  me  and  told 
me  that  the  whole  regiment  was  in  a  state  of  excite- 
ment about  the  fight  and  feeling  against  Devinsky 
had  reached  a  positively  dangerous  pitch,  especially 
when  it  was  known  that  he  had  practically  refused  to 
meet  me.  That  point  was  still  unsettled,  and  Es- 
saieff had  come  to  get  my  final  decision. 

"  My  advice  is,  stand  firm,"  he  said.  "  You're  in 
the  right.  There  isn't  an  unprejudiced  man  in  the 
whole  army  who  wouldn't  say  you  were  acting  well 
within  your  rights;  just  as,  I  must  say,  my  dear 
fellow,  you've  acted  splendidly  throughout." 

I  told  him  what  I  had  been  thinking. 

"  It  seems  a  ghastly  thing  to  put  a  life  in  the  spin 
of  a  coin,"  he  commented. 

"  Better  than  to  have  it  ended  without  a  chance, 
by  the  thrust  of  a  butcher's  knife." 

"  That  name  will  stick  to  Durescq  for  always,"  he 
said,  with  a  slow  smile.  "  It  was  splendid.  Do  you 
know  you  made  me  hold  my  breath  while  you  were 
at  him.  Damn  him,  so  he  is  a  butcher ! " 

"Do  you  say  Devinsky  won't  meet  me?"  I 
asked. 

"  No,  not  that  he  won't ;  but  he  raises  the  excuse 
that  as  Durescq's  challenge  was  given  first — as  it  was,- 
indeed — the  order  of  the  fight  must  follow  the  order 
of  the  challenges.  But  they  arranged  the  challenges 
purposely  in  that  order." 

"  I  shan't  hold  to  the  point,"  I  said,  after  a  mo 
ment's  consideration.     "If  they  insist  I  shall  give 
way  and   meet  Durescq  first.     But  this  will  only 
make  it  the  more  easy  for  us  to  insist  on  our  plan  of 


Danger  from  a  Fresh  Souice      123 

fighting.  Don't  give  way  on  that.  I  am  resolved 
that  one  of  us  shall  fall :  and  chance  shall  settle 
which." 

Essaieff  tried  to  persuade  me  to  insist  on  meeting 
Devinsky  first ;  but  I  would  not. 

"  No.  He  shan't  carry  back  to  St.  Petersburg  the 
tale  that  we  in  Moscow  are  ready  to  bluster  in  words, 
and  then  daren't  make  them  good  in  our  acts." 

"  I  hope  he'll  carry  back  no  tale  at  all  to  St.  Peters- 
burg," answered  my  friend,  grimly:  and  then  he  left 
me. 

I  completed  what  few  preparations  I  had  to  make 
in  view  of  the  very  probably  fatal  issue  of  the  fight : 
wrote  a  letter  to  Olga  and  enclosed  one  to  Ballestier 
as  I  had  done  before ;  and  was  just  getting  off  to 
bed,  when  Essaieff  came  back  to  report. 

My  message  had  added  to  the  already  great  excite- 
ment and  there  had  been  at  first  the  most  strenuous 
opposition  to  our  plan  of  righting.  But  he  had  forced 
his  way,  and  the  meetings — with  the  "  butcher  "  first 
and,  if  I  did  not  fall,  with  Devinsky  afterwards — 
were  fixed  for  eight  o'clock.  He  promised  to  come 
for  me  half  an  hour  before  that  time :  and  he  urged 
me  to  get  to  bed  and  to  have  as  much  sleep  as  possible 
to  steady  my  nerves. 

They  were  steady  enough  already.  I  gloated  over 
the  affair ;  and  I  meant  so  to  use  it  as  to  set  the  seal 
to  my  reputation  as  "  that  devil  Alexis,"  whether  I 
lived  or  died. 

But  after  all  I  was  baulked. 

I  slept  soundly  enough  till  Borlas  called  me  early 
in  the  morning  and  told  me  strange  news.  A  file  of 
soldiers  were  in  my  room,  and  the  sergeant  had  re- 
quested me  to  be  called  at  once  as  he  had  an  import- 
ant message. 


124  By  Right  of  Sword 

I  called  the  man  into  my  bedroom  and  asked  him 
what  he  wanted. 

"  You  are  to  consider  yourself  under  arrest,  Lieu- 
tenant," he  said  saluting,  and  drawing  himself  up 
stiffly.  "  And  in  my  charge. " 

"What  for?" 

"  I  don't  know,  Lieutenant.  I  had  my  orders  from 
the  Colonel  himself  first  thing;  and,  if  you  please,  I 
am  to  prevent  you  leaving  the  house.  You'll  under- 
stand my  position,  sir.  Will  you  give  me  your  word 
not  to  attempt  to  leave  ?  " 

"  Where  are  your  written  orders  ?"  I  knew  the  man 
well  and  he  liked  me. 

"My  orders  are  verbal,  Lieutenant;  but  very 
strict  and  imperative." 

"  Privately,  do  you  know  anything  of  the  cause  of 
this?" 

"You'll  have  a  letter  from  the  Colonel,  I  think, 
Lieutenant,  within  an  hour,  requiring  you  to  go  to 
him.  Major  Devinsky  is  also  confined  to  his  quar- 
ters, sir;  and  also,  I  think,  Captain  Durescq.  We've 
heard  in  the  regiment,  sir,  what  happened  at  the 
officers'  club  last  night."  A  certain  look  on  his 
lined  bearded  face  and  in  his  eyes  as  he  saluted  me 
when  he  said  this,  told  me  much. 

I  chafed  at  the  interference,  and  cursed  the  Colonel 
for  having  apparently  taken  a  hand  in  the  matter. 
This  butcher  would  now  be  able  to  go  back  to  St. 
Petersburg  with  a  lying  garbled  tale  that  we  in  Mos- 
cow got  out  of  quarrels  by  clinging  to  the  coat  tails 
of  our  commanding  officer ;  and  it  made  me  mad.  I 
tried  to  persuade  the  sergeant  to  let  me  out  to  go  to 
the  place  of  meeting ;  promising  to  be  back  within 
an  hour ;  but  he  was  immovable. 

"  I  would,  if  I  dared,  Lieutenant ;  but  I  dare  not 


Danger  from  a  Fresh  Source      125 

I'm  not  the  man  to  stop  a  fair  fight,  and  I  hate  this 
work.  But  duty's  duty." 

When  Essaieff  came,  he  threw  new  light  on  the 
matter.  The  affair  had  caused  a  huge  commotion. 
In  the  early  hours  of  the  morning  he  had  been  sum- 
moned to  the  Colonel,  who  had  in  some  way  got  wind 
of  the  matter ;  a  very  ugly  version  having  been  told 
him.  My  friend  had  had  to  tell  the  plain  truth  and 
there  had  been  the  devil  to  pay.  The  wires  to  St. 
Petersburg  had  been  kept  going  through  the  night ; 
the  whole  thing  had  been  laid  before  Head-Quarters 
at  the  Ministry  for  War;  and  the  arrest  of  the  three 
principals  had  been  ordered  from  the  capital. 

Soon  afterwards  a  peremptory  summons  came  for 
me  from  the  Colonel  and  when  I  got  to  him  I  found 
both  Devinsky  and  Durescq  there,  together  with  two 
or  three  of  the  highest  officers  then  stationed  in 
Moscow.  A  sort  of  informal  examination  took  place, 
out  of  which  I  am  bound  to  say  both  the  other  men 
came  very  badly ;  and  in  the  end  we  were  all  three 
ordered  off  to  stay  in  our  quarters  under  arrest.  I 
found  that  not  only  were  we  not  allowed  to  go  out — 
sentries  being  posted  in  my  rooms  all  the  time — but 
no  one  was  permitted  to  enter:  nor  could  I  com- 
municate with  a  single  individual  for  two  days. 

At  the  end  of  that  time  the  order  came  for  me  to 
resume  duty;  and  as  soon  as  the  morning's  drill  was 
over,  the  Colonel  sent  for  me  and  told  me  what  had 
happened.  The  military  authorities  at  St.  Peters- 
burg had  taken  the  harshest  view  of  the  conduct  of 
my  two  antagonists.  It  was  regarded  as  a  deliberate 
plot  to  kill.  Devinsky  had  been  cashiered ;  and  only 
Durescq's  great  influence  had  prevented  him  from 
sharing  the  same  fate.  As  it  was,  he  had  had  all  his 
seniority  struck  off,  been  reduced  to  the  rank  of  a 


126  By  Right  of  Sword 

subaltern,  and  sent  off  there  and  then  under  quasi 
arrest  with  heavy  military  escort,  to  a  regiment  sta- 
tioned right  away  on  the  most  southern  Turkestan 
frontier. 

"  As  for  Devinsky,  the  regiment's  well  rid  of  him," 
said  the  Colonel,  with  such  emphasis  and  earnestness 
that  I  saw  his  own  personal  animosity  had  had  quite 
as  much  to  do  with  the  man's  overthrow  as  the  lat- 
ter's  own  conduct.  But  it  pleased  the  old  man  to 
put  it  all  down  to  me,  and  when  we  were  parting,  he 
shook  hands  cordially  and  said : — "  The  Regiment 
owes  you  a  vote  of  thanks,  my  boy;  and  I'll  see  that 
it's  paid  in  full." 

"One  question  I  should  like  to  ask,"  said  I. 
"How  did  you  get  to  hear  of  it  all?  " 

"The  news  was  everybody's  proper ty.,  lad,  and — 
don't  ask  questions,"  he  replied  with  dry  inconse- 
quence. And  would  say  no  more. 

But  I  was  soon  to  learn,  and  the  news  surprised 
me  as  much  as  any  part  of  the  whole  strange  inci- 
dent. 

The  first  use  I  made  of  my  liberty  was  to  go  and 
see  Olga  and  explain  my  absence  and  all  that  had 
happened.  She  had  heard  a  somewhat  garbled  ac- 
count of  it  in  which  the  part  I  played  had  been 
greatly  exaggerated,  and  she  received  me  with  the 
greatest  tenderness  and  sympathy ;  and  tears  of  what 
seemed  pleasure,  but  she  explained  as  cold,  glistened 
in  her  eyes.  We  had  a  long  and  closely  confidential 
chaf,  and  she  made  me  feel  more  by  her  trustful 
manner  and  gentle  attitude  than  by  her  actual  words, 
how  much  she  had  missed  me  during  the  days  of  our 
separation  and  how  thankful  she  was  to  be  free  of 
Devinsky  for  good,  and  how  much  she  felt  she  owed 
to  me  on  that  account. 


Danger  from  a  Fresh  Source      127 

For  myself  I  was  sorry  when  I  had  to  leave  her. 
She  was  the  only  person  in  Moscow  to  whom  I  could 
speak  without  restraint;  a  fact  that  made  our  inter- 
views ?o  welcome  that  I  was  loath  to  end  this  one. 

It  was  getting  dusk  when  I  left  and  as  I  walked 
home  I  was  thoughtful  and  preoccupied.  The  ques- 
tion of  Olga's  safety  was  pressing  very  hardly  on  me 
and  made  me  extremely  anxious.  The  more  I  saw 
of  her  the  more  eager  I  was  to  get  her  out  of  harm's 
way;  and  the  consciousness  that  she  must  share  the 
consequences  of  any  disaster  that  might  happen  to 
me,  were  I  discovered,  was  pressing  upon  me  with 
increasing  severity.  I  was  beginning  to  anticipate 
more  vividly,  moreover,  the  coming  of  some  such 
disaster.  The  time  was  passing  very  quickly.  It 
was  getting  on  for  nearly  three  weeks  since  the 
Nihilist  meeting,  and  I  knew  that  my  Nihilist 
"  allies  "  would  be  growing  anxious  for  a  sign  of  my 
zeal.  They  were  probably  well  aware  that  I  was  do- 
ing nothing  to  redeem  my  pledge. 

There  was  also  the  undeniable  danger  inseparably 
connected  with  the  distasteful  intrigue  with  Paula 
Tueski.  I  had  so  neglected  her  in  my  character  of 
lover  that  I  was  hourly  expecting  some  proof  of  her 
indignation.  I  had  only  seen  her  twice  in  the  three 
weeks ;  and  each  time  in  public ;  and  though  Olga 
and  she  had  interchanged  visits,  I  knew  perfectly 
well  that  she  was  not  the  woman  to  take  neglect 
passively. 

I  blamed  myself  warmly,  too,  for  my  own  inactiv- 
ity. My  whole  policy  had  been  so  to  try  and  gain 
time,  and  yet  I  had  made  no  use  of  it,  except  to  get 
into  broils  which  had  increased  the  already  bewilder- 
ing complications. 

That  this  would  be  the  effect  of  my  quarrel  with 


128  By  Right  of  Sword 

Devinsky  and  Durescq,  I  could  not  doubt  when  I 
came  to  think  the  matter  over  in  cool  blood.  I  had 
been  the  means  of  both  of  them  being  ruined ;  and 
naturally  every  friend  they  had  in  Russia  would  take 
part  against  me.  I  knew  that  Durescq  had  friends 
among  the  most  powerful  circles  in  Russia,  and  I 
had  nothing  to  oppose  to  their  anger  save  the  poor 
position  of  a  lieutenant  in  a  marching  regiment  and 
a  past  that  was  full  of  blackguardism  and  evil  repute. 
Personally  this  was  all  nothing  to  me;  but  when  I 
thought  of  the  indirect  results  it  might  have  for  Olga 
it  troubled  and  worried  me  deeply. 

Everything  pointed  to  one  conclusion — that  Olga 
should  leave  Russia  while  she  could  do  so  in  safety. 

I  was  meditating  on  these  things  when  a  girl 
stopped  me  suddenly,  asking  if  I  were  Lieutenant 
Petrovitch.  She  then  gave  me  a  scrap  of  paper; 
and  I  glanced  at  and  read  it. 

"  The  old  rendezvous,  at  once.      Urgent.      P.  T." 

I  questioned  the  girl  as  to  who  gave  it  to  her,  and 
where  the  person  was;  but  getting  no  satisfactory 
account,  dismissed  her  with  a  few  kopecks. 

It  beat  me.     Obviously  it  was  from  Paula  Tueski. 

Equally  obviously  it  was  an  appointment  at  which 
'she  had  apparently  something  to  say  of  importance. 
But  where  the  deuce  the  "  old  rendezvous "  was  I 
knew  no  more  than  the  wind. 

I  am  not  one  to  waste  time  over  the  impossible; 
and  as  I  certainly  could  not  go  to  a  place  I  did  not 
know  of,  I  tore  the  letter  into  shreds  and  went  on 
home. 

I  let  myself  in  and  found  that  my  servant  was  out 
— a  most  unusual  thing  at  that  time  of  the  day ;  but 
I  had  begun  to  fear  that  the  man  was  below  rather 
than  above  the  average  of  Russian  servants  and  was 


Danger  from  a  Fresh  Source      129 

already  contemplating  his  dismissal.  I  did  not  at- 
tach much  importance  to  his  present  absence,  how- 
ever;  and  throwing  myself  into  a  chair  sat  and 
thought  or  tried  to  think  of  some  scheme  by  which  I 
could  induce  Olga  to  leave  the  country,  and  some 
means  by  which  her  departure  could  be  safely  ar- 
ranged. She  must  go  at  once.  She  had  promised 
me  to  go  when  I  could  tell  her  it  was  necessary  for 
my  safety;  and  I  could  truthfully  say  that  now.  If 
she  would  go,  I  would  have  a  dash  for  liberty  my- 
self. 

While  I  was  thinking  in  this  strain  someone 
knocked  at  my  outer  door,  and  when  I  opened  it,  to 
my  surprise,  Paula  Tueski  rushed  in  quickly. 

A  glance  at  her  face  shewed  me  she  was  in  an 
exceedingly  ill  temper ;  as  indeed  it  appeared  to  me 
she  generally  was. 

"  Where  is  your  servant  ?  "  was  her  first  question 
hurriedly  asked. 

"  I  really  don't  know.     Out  somewhere ;  but " 

"  His  absence  means  danger,  Alexis.  Why  didn't 
you  come  to  me  when  I  sent  a  message  to  you  just 
now.  You  read  it,  questioned  the  girl,  and  then  tore 
it  up  and  threw  it  in  the  gutter;  and  all  this  as  un- 
concernedly as  if  you  did  not  know  full  well  that  from 
our  window  you  must  be  in  full  view  of  me.  Are  you 
always  going  to  scorn  me  ?  " 

I  took  care  to  shew  no  surprise;  but  it  was  clear 
I  had  blundered  badly,  and  that  the  "  rendezvous " 
was  close  to  the  spot  where  the  paper  had  been  given 
to  me. 

"  I  could  not  come.     I  had  to  hurry  home.     I " 

"Bah!  Don't  trifle  with  me  like  that.  Haven't 
you  had  enough  of  your  prison  during  the  last  two 
days?" 


130  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  You  know  the  news,  then  ?"  said  I,  following  her 
gladly  off  the  track. 

"  It  is  you  who  do  not  know  the  news.  Ah,  Alexis, 
ifou  are  giving  me  more  trouble  in  this  new  character 
of  yours  than  ever  you  did  in  the  old  one — much  as 
you  harassed  me  then.  But  I  do  not  mind  if  only 
..."  She  stopped  and  looked  at  me  with  beaming 
eyes.  "You  have  not  kissed  me;  and  here  I  am 
risking  all  again  and  even  venturing  right  here  into 
your  rooms." 

"What  do  you  mean  about  new  character?"  I 
asked.  Her  phrase  had  startled  me. 

"I  like  it  better  than  the  old.  Fifty  thousand 
times  better  '  That  devil  Alexis,'  than  '  That  rou6 
Petrovitch.'  But  whenever  I  think  of  the  change,  I 
can't  understand  it — I  don't  understand  you.  I  could 
almost  swear,  sometimes,  you  are  not  the  same  man  " 
— she  came  close  up  to  me  and  putting  her  hands  on 
my  shoulders,  stared  long  and  earnestly  right  into  my 
eyes — "  and  then  I  wonder  how  I  can  have  been  so 
blind  as  not  to  have  seen  all  that  lay  hidden  in  you : 
all  that  was  noble  and  brave  and  daring.  But  I  love 
you,  Alexis,  twenty  thousand  times  more  than  ever; 
and  to  have  saved  your  life  now  is  a  thought  of  in- 
finite sweetness  to  me.  Kiss  me,  sweetheart." 

I  started  back  as  if  she  had  stung  me. 

"  Do  you  mean  you  had  anything  to  do  with.  .  .  ." 
I  stopped,  but  she  knew  what  I  meant.  She  smiled 
and  in  a  voice  exquisitely  sweet  and  tender,  though 
hateful  to  me,  she  answered : 

"Your  life  is  mine,  Alexis!  Do  you  think  I 
would  let  that  butcher  from  St.  Petersburg  take  it  ? 
Let  him  keep  to  his  own  shambles.  Yes,  I  set  the 
wires  in  motion,  and  I  did  not  stop  until  the  one 
man  was  utterly  ruined  and  the  other  degraded  in  the 


Danger  from  a  Fresh  Source      131 

eyes  of  all  Russia.  Your  life  is  mine,  Alexis  " — she 
seemed  to  revel  in  this  hateful  phrase — "and  those 
who  would  strike  at  you,  must  reckon  with  me  as 
well.  We  are  destined  for  each  other,  you  and  I; 
and  we  live  or  die  together." 

"  You  have  done  me  a  foul  wrong,  then,"  I  cried 
hotly.  "  You  have  disgraced  me ;  made  me  out  for 
a  braggart  that  provokes  a  fight  and  then  shirks  it  by 
screening  myself  behind  the  law.  Do  you  suppose  I 
thank  you  for  that  ?  "  I  spoke  as  sternly  as  I  felt. 
But  she  only  smiled  as  she  answered, 

"  I  did  not  think  of  your  feelings.  This  man  would 
have  killed  you.  His  hands  are  bloody  to  the  arm- 
pits. Do  you  think  I  would  let  him  find  another 
victim  in  you  when  I  could  stop  him  and  save  you? 
Did  you  not  reproach  me,  too,  when  I  did  not  inter- 
fere before,  and  tell  me  my  love  was  cold  ?  Would 
I  suffer  such  a  reproach  again,  think  you  ?  No,  no, 
Your  life  is  mine,  I  repeat,  and  for  the  future  I  will 
protect  it  whether  you  will  or  no.  That  is  how  I 
love ;  and  so  it  shall  be  always.  I  have  come  now 
to  own  you.  Hush  !  What  is  that  ?  " 

I  listened  and  heard  someone  moving  in  the  lobby 
of  my  rooms. 

"  It  is  Borlas  returned,"  I  said,  and  opening  the 
door  called  him.  Getting  no  answer  I  called  again 
loudly ;  and  then  my  visitor  whispered  to  me  to  come 
back  into  the  room.  But  I  paid  no  heed  to  her,  and 
"ivent  forward  a  few  steps  to  go  into  my  servant's 
room.  As  I  did  so,  a  desperate  rush  was  made  and 
three  men  disguised,  dashed  at  me  violently.  They 
had  gained  an  entrance  somehow  and  were  no  doubt 
making  their  way  to  attack  me  in  my  room  or  were 
going  to  lay  in  wait  for  me,  when  my  quick  ears 
heard  them  and  thus  spoiled  their  plans. 


*32  ^y  Right  °f  Sword 

I  was  unarmed,  and  saw  instantly  the  foolishness 
of  attempting  to  fight  three  men,  probably  armed, 
which  I  had  not  so  much  as  a  stick.  Making  a  feint 
of  an  attack  upon  the  nearest,  therefore,  I  jumped 
aside  and  darted  back  into  the  room  I  had  just  left, 
closing  the  door  instantly  behind  me,  while  my  com- 
panion and  I  held  it  shut  until  I  had  secured  it. 

Then  I  turned  to  her  for  an  explanation. 

"They  are  my  husband's  agents,"  she  whispered. 
"  He  suspects  us,  as  you  know ;  and  he  arranged  this 
attack,  thinking  that  if  you  were  killed,  the  act  just 
at  this  juncture  would  be  set  down  to  Devinsky's 
revenge.  I  came  on  purpose  to  warn  you.  If  they 
catch  me  here  now,  we  are  both  ruined  beyond  hope." 

"  Then  they  shan't  catch  us,"  I  replied.  "  Or  if 
they  do,  shan't  live  to  carry  the  tale  outside  the 
door :"  and  I  proceeded  to  put  in  execution  a  plan 
which  had  already  occurred  to  me. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

CHRISTIAN    TUESKI. 

WHILE  the  men  were  straining  and  fighting  to  get 
admission  into  the  room,  I  loaded  my  revolver,  seized 
a  heavy  stick  that  lay  in  a  corner,  and  opening  the 
window  noiselessly  and  with  some  little  trouble  and 
agility,  got  into  the  street.  I  let  myself  into  the 
house  and  then  I  thundered  at  the  outer  door  of  my 
own  rooms  as  if  seeking  immediate  admission. 

Instantly  there  was  a  great  scuffling  within,  and  I 
knew  that  the  men  were  making  off  by  the  back,  in 
the  probable  belief  that  they  had  been  disturbed  by 
some  unexpected  caller.  Judging  the  time  as  best  I 
could,  so  that  I  might  perhaps  catch  one  of  them,  I 
rushed  in  suddenly.  One  had  fled,  the  second  was 
in  the  act  of  dropping  from  a  window,  while  a  third 
was  just  clambering  out. 

I  struck  this  one  a  blow  on  the  head  which  laid 
him  down  senseless  in  a  heap  on  the  floor,  and  lean- 
ing out  was  in  time  to  give  the  second  a  whack  that 
must  have  nearly  broken  his  arm.  Then  without 
wasting  a  moment  I  bound  the  man  I  had  knocked 
down  and  closely  bandaged  his  eyes. 

Telling  Paula  Tueski  that  I  had  scared  the  rascals 
away,  I  dragged  the  fellow  to  the  light,  that  she  might 
recognise  him.  She  identified  him  directly,  and  with- 
out a  word  being  spoken  except  by  me,  I  thrust  him 
into  a  dark  closet  and  turned  the  key  on  him  while  I 
settled  what  to  do  next. 


134  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  You  knew  him,  I  could  see,"  I  said,  when  I  joined 
my  visitor  again.  "  Is  he  a  police  spy  ?  " 

"  No,  not  in  the  ordinary  sense.     I  have  seen  him 
with  my  husband:  but  exactly  what  he  is,  I  don't 
know.     I  believe  he  is  one  of  a  small  band  of  really  , 
villainous  men,  used  for  especially  ugly  work." 

"  But  why  am  I  marked  out  for  a  visit  from  them  ?  " 

"  I  believe  my  husband  has  suspected  you — on  my 
account.  I  know  he  hates  you  cordially.  You  re- 
member that  affair  in  the  Opera  lobby,  when  you 
insulted  him  so  grossly."  I  nodded  :  but  of  course  I 
had  not  the  remotest  idea  what  she  meant.  "He 
never  forgives.  Since  then  he  has  been  accumulat- 
ing every  jot  and  tittle  of  fact  against  you — and  you 
have  given  him  plenty,  Alexis — and  if  he  can  work 
your  overthrow,  he  will." 

"Yes:  but  why  try  to  get  me  assassinated?  I'll 
go  at  once  and  ask  him,"  I  said,  readily  and  impul- 
sively. 

"  Are  you  mad  ?  "  exclaimed  my  companion. 

"  On  the  contrary,  I'll  go  and  shew  him  the  danger 
of  interfering  with  me.  Where  is  he  to  be  found 
now?  " 

"  At  home.  He  will  not  leave  for  an  hour  yet  to 
make  his  evening  visit  to  the  Bureau.  But  he  will 
never  consent  to  see  you." 

"At  any  rate  I'll  try;  and  I'm  much  mistaken  if  I 
don't  force  him.  I  have  a  plan,"  I  added,  after  a 
minute's  thought.  "  I  will  clear  us  both  at  a  stroke. 
Go  at  once  to  my  sister,  and  tell  her  from  me  that  I 
wish  her  to  come  back  here  with  you  and  wait  for 
me.  Mind,  too,  should  anyone  come  to  fetch  away 
that  fellow  I've  locked  up,  let  Olga  say  enough  in  his 
presence  to  make  it  clear  that  she  was  here  with  us 
when  the  attack  was  first  made.  Be  quick  and  care- 


Christian  Tueski  135 


ful:  for  much  will  depend  on  all  this  being  well 
done." 

I  drove  rapidly  to  the  place  and  sending  in  my  card 
asked  for  an  immediate  interview  with  the  Chief  of 
the  Police,  on  urgent  business.  The  reply  came 
back  that  M.  Tueski  could  not  see  me ;  I  was  to  call 
at  his  office.  I  sent  the  messenger  back  with  a 
peremptory  reply  that  I  must  see  him,  as  I  had  dis- 
covered an  assassination  plot.  I  was  still  refused 
admittance ;  though  a  longer  wait  shewed  me  he  had 
considered  the  matter  carefully. 

This  time  I  wrote  a  brief  note : — "  One  of  your 
hired  assassins  has  been  identified,  has  confessed, 
and  lies  at  this  moment  bound  and  in  my  power.  If 
you  do  not  see  me  now  I  shall  communicate  direct 
with  the  Ministry  of  the  Interior." 

That  proved  the  "  Open  Sesame,"  and  in  a  few 
moments,  I  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of  one  of 
the  most  hated  men  in  Russia, — the  man  I  had  been 
commissioned  to  kill. 

He  was  a  small  man  with  a  face  that  would  have 
been  common  looking  but  for  its  extraordinarily  hard 
and  cold  expression.  It  was  lined  and  seamed  in  all 
directions :  and  each  line  might  have  been  drawn  by 
Nature  with  the  express  object  of  marking  him  out 
as  an  absolutely  merciless,  calculating,  and  emotion- 
less man. 

His  eyes  were  very  bright  as  they  fixed  on  me, 
and  his  voice,  harsh,  high  pitched  and  tuneless. 

"  Men  don't  belie  your  new  character  when  they 
call  you  daring,"  was  his  greeting. 

He  was  standing  by  the  side  of  a  long  table  with 
his  black  clothed  figure  outlined  against  the  colours 
of  luxuriant  tapestries  with  which  the  walls  were 
h:ing.  He  motioned  me  to  a  chair,  near  enough  to 


136  By  Right  of  Sword 

be  within  the  demands  of  courtesy  to  an  officer  bear- 
ing the  Emperor's  commission,  and  far  enough  re- 
moved from  him  to  be  safe  should  the  visitor  turn 
out  to  be  dangerous.  I  noticed,  too,  that  an  elec- 
tric bell  button  was  well  within  reach.  "  What  do 
you  wish  with  me,  Lieutenant?  This  visit  is  un- 
usual." 

"  I  am  not  accustomed  to  bother  about  what  is  usual 
where  my  life  is  concerned,"  I  answered,  firmly.  "  I 
want  an  answer  to  a  plain  question.  Why  do  you 
send  your  bravoes  to  asassinate  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  sent  no  bravoes  to  assassinate  you,  Lieu- 
tenant. I  don't  understand  you.  We  don't  hire  as- 
sassins." As  though  the  whole  thing  were  ridiculous. 

"  Yet  your  wife  recognised  this  man  instantly." 

"  My  wife !  "  he  exclaimed,  with  a  sufficient  change 
to  shew  how  this  had  touched  him. 

"  Yes.  Your  wife.  She  was  in  my  rooms  when 
these  men  came." 

He  drew  in  a  deep  breath  while  he  looked  at  me 
with  eyes  of  hate.  I  had  got  right  between  the 
joints  of  his  armour  of  impassivity.  It  was  a  cruel 
thrust;  but  I  had  an  ugly  game  to  play,  and  was 
forced  to  hit  hard. 

He  seemed  to  struggle  to  repress  his  private  feel- 
ings and  to  remain  the  impassive  official.  But  human 
nature  and  his  jealousy  beat  him,  and  his  next  ques- 
tion came  with  a  jerk  that  shewed  the  effort  behind 
it. 

"  What  was  she  doing  there  ?  "  His  tone  was  the 
essence  of  harsh  bitterness. 

"  What  was  she  doing  there  ?  "  I  echoed,  as  if  in 
the  greatest  astonishment.  "  Why,  what  should  she 
be  doing  but  calling  with  my  sister  ?  They  are  there 
now,  keeping  guard  over  your — assistant" 


Christian  Tueski  137 

He  turned  away  for  a  moment  to  prevent  my  see- 
ing in  his  face  the  relief  which  I  could  hear  in  his 
voice  as  he  answered : — 

"  You  are  an  even  bolder  man  than  I  thought." 

"  I  don't  understand  you,  of  course ;  but  I  have 
need  to  be  bold,"  I  retorted,  "with  you  against  me 
ready  to  plan  my  private  execution.  They're  heavy 
odds.  But  now,  perhaps,  you'll  answer  my  question 
— Why  do  you  do  this  ?  " 

"  There  might  be  many  reasons — if  it  were  true," 
he  answered  in  the  same  curt  tone  he  had  first 
used. 

"One's  enough  for  me,  if  it's  true,"  I  replied, 
copying  his  sharp  manner. 

He  stood  a  minute  looking  at  me  in  silence,  and 
then  sat  down. 

"I  think  I've  been  doing  you  an  injustice,  Lieu- 
tenant," he  said,  presently.  "  I  thought  when  you 
forced  your  way  in  to  me  you  might  be  coming  to 
assassinate  me.  But  I  see  now  you're  not  such  a  fool 
as  to  try  and  do  anything  of  that  kind  when  you  have 
left  a  broad  trail  behind  you  that  would  lead  to  your 
certain  detection.  You  are  young;  with  all  the 
weaknesses  of  youth  strongly  developed — rash,  hot- 
headed, sometimes  tipsy,  a  fool  with  women,  and 
when,  necessary,  a  knave  too,  loose  in  money  matters 
and  unscrupulous,  a  gambler,  a  dicer,  and  a  bankrupt 
in  morals,  religion,  and  honour.  But  you  are  shrewd 
— for  you've  deceived  everyone  about  your  sword-skill 
and  your  courage — and  under  the  garb  of  a  worthless 
fellow  you  have  a  cool,  calculating,  and  yet  dare- 
devil head  that  should  make  your  fortune.  Others 
are  more  right  about  you  than  I." 

"  Others  ?  "  I  asked,  interested  and  amused  by  this 
quiet  enumeration  of  the  results  of  the  analysis  of  two 


138  By  Right  of  Sword 

very  different,  but  united  characters.  "  Who  are  the 
others  ? 

A  faint  ghost  of  what  in  another  man  would  have 
been  a  smile  relaxed  the  grim,  hard,  straight  lips  for 
an  instant,  in  mockery  of  my  attempt  to  draw  him. 

"  You  are  not  unknown,  Lieutenant,  as  you  may 
find  soon ;  but  you  are  a  fool  to  mix  yourself  up  with 
the  Nihilists." 

It  was  my  turn  now  to  be  on  the  defensive. 

"  That  is  a  charge  which  a  child  can  make  and  the 
wisest  man  can  sometimes  fail  to  rebut,"  I  answered, 
sharply.  "I  am  not  a  Nihilist." 

He  waved  his  hand  as  if  my  repudiation  were  not 
worth  a  serious  thought. 

"  I  can  make  you  a  career,  if  you  will.  If  you 
will  act  under  me  ...  ." 

"Thank  you,"  I  returned  coldly.  "I  know  what 
you  can  do.  You  can  put  me  first  on  the  list  for 
some  task  which  will  insure  my  being  served  as  you 
meant  me  to  be  served  to-day.  One  commission  is 
enough  for  me,  and  I  prefer  the  Emperor's. " 

"You  don't  know  what  you  say,  nor  what  you  re- 
fuse." 

"All  the  more  reason  for  not  regretting  my  re- 
fusal," I  retorted,  lightly.  "But  this  does  not  an- 
swer my  question — Why  do  you  seek  to  have  me 
assassinated  ?  " 

"Siberia  is  getting  overpopulated,"  he  returned, 
manifestly  angry  at  my  refusal. 

"  You  mean  it's  cheaper  to  kill  than  to  exile." 

"  One  must  have  some  regard  for  its  morals,  too," 
he  sneered,  with  a  contempt  at  which  my  rage  took 
fire. 

I  looked  at  him  with  a  light  in  my  eyes  which  he 
could  read  plainly  enough. 


Christian  Tueski  139 

"You  are  a  coward,  M.  Tueski,"  said  I,  sternly: 
14  because  you  presume  upon  the  office  you  hold  to  say 
things  which  without  the  protection  that  guards  you, 
you  would  not  dare  to  let  between  your  teeth." 

"  It  is  useless  to  talk  in  that  strain  to  me,"  he  said* 
shortly.  "  I  know  you." 

"  No — by  Heaven,  you  don't — yet.  But  I'll  let  you 
know  something  of  me  now.  Men  say  you  know  no 
fear ;  that  your  loves,  desires,  emotions,  are  all  dead 
— all,  save  ambition.  I'll  test  that.  This  plot  you 
have  laid  against  my  life  is  your  own  private  revenge 
for  some  fancied  wrong.  You  have  sought  to  carry 
it  out  even  at  the  very  moment  when  you  had  had  a 
hint  to  guard  me.  It  was  cunningly  laid,  and  nearly 
succeeded ;  and  then  you  would  have  set  the  blame 
down  at  Devinsky's  door." 

He  listened  without  making  a  sign :  quite  impas- 
sively. But  the  mere  fact  that  he  did  listen  shewed 
me  I  was  striking  the  right  note,  and  further  that  he 
wished  to  see  what  I  meant  to  do. 

"  Go  on,"  he  said,  contemptuously,  when  I  paused. 

"  I  can  prove  this :  aye,  and  I  will  prove  it,  even  if 
I  go  to  the  Emperor  himself :  and  prove  it — by  your 
own  wife."  He  could  not  wholly  conceal  the  effect 
of  this.  He  knew  the  strength  of  the  threat. 

"  More  than  that,"  I  cried  then,  quickening  my 
speech  and  shewing  much  more  passion.  "You 
know  what  the  world  says  about  me  and  your  wife. 
You  shewed  me  you  knew  it,  when  I  told  you  just 
now  that  she  was  in  my  rooms  when  your  men  came 
to  try  and  take  my  life.  You  have  dared  to  smirch 
my  honour  in  regard  to  women :  and  you  have  lied. 
So  far  as  your  wife  is  concerned,  there  has  never 
been  a  thought  of  mine  toward  her  tainted  with  dis- 
honour. So  far  as  I  am  concerned  she  is  virgin 


140  By  Right  of  Sword 

pure.  But,  by  God !  beware  how  you  taunt  me.  It 
lies  with  you  to  say  whether  I  shall  change ;  and  if 
you  drive  me  to  it,  I'll  ...  ." 

I  left  the  terrible  sentence  unfinished;  and  the 
change  in  the  man's  manner  shewed  me  how  he  was 
inwardly  shrinking  and  wincing  at  my  desperate 
words. 

"  Go  on.  What  do  you  want  ?  "  He  spoke  after 
a  great  effort  and  strove  to  keep  his  voice  at  the  dead 
level  of  official  lifelessness.  But  the  man  was  an 
inward  fire  of  rage  and  jealousy. 

"  This  duel  is  not  my  seeking,  but  yours,  M.  Tues- 
ki,"  I  continued.  "  And  for  my  part  I  would  as  soon 
have  a  truce.  But  if  we  are  to  fight  on,  I  will  use 
every  weapon  I  can  lay  my  hand  on, — and  use  them 
desperately.  You  can  prove  the  truth  of  what  I  say. 
Send  round  someone  to  my  rooms  and  fetch  away  the 
scoundrel  who  is  there.  My  sister  will  let  him  go. 
Your  wife,  her  friend,  is  staying  with  her  to  help  in 
case  of  need.  And  whatever  else  I  may  be,  at  least  I 
should  not  give  my  mistress  to  my  sister  for  a  friend. " 

"  You  are  the  devil !  "  The  words  forced  themselves 
through  his  teeth  at  this  word.  I  used  it  deliberate- 
ly :  and  it  was  the  shrewdest  thing  I  could  have  done. 
He  left  the  room  without  another  word,  going  through 
a  door  behind  him;  and,  calling  to  someone,  he  whis- 
pered some  instructions. 

"  You  have  sent  ?  You  are  right,"  I  said,  when  he 
returned.  "  And  now,  call  off  these  bloodhounds  of 
yours;  and  so  long  as  you  play  fair  with  me,  my 
sister  and  your  wife  can  be  friends.  And  no  longer. 
One  other  condition.  Give  me  two  police  permits 
to  cross  the  frontier  on  special  business — one  for 
me  and  one  for  my  sister.  You  may  not  be  sorry  if 
I  decide  to  take  a  holiday. " 


Christian  Tueski  141 

"  I  cannot  give  them,  and  you  cannot  leave,"  he 
answered. 

"  Write  me  the  permits.    I'll  see  about  using  them." 

"  No ;  I  cannot  write  them.  If  I  did,  they  would 
be  cancelled  to-morrow  by  the  Ministry  of  the  In- 
terior. " 

"Why?" 

"  The  fact  is  what  I  say.  You  cannot  leave  Rus- 
sia. " 

"  I  care  nothing  for  that.  Write  them — or  we  re- 
sume this  duel,  M.  Tueski." 

He  was  a  changed  man.  He  was  so  accustomed 
to  exact  implicit  obedience  to  his  will,  and  to  ride 
roughshod  over  everyone  about  him,  that  now  being 
beaten,  his  collapse  was  utter  and  complete.  He  was 
absolutely  overcome  by  the  pressure  I  could  threaten 
and  he  thought  I  was  blackguard  enough  to  apply. 

For  once  at  least  my  old  black  character  did  me  a 
good  turn.  He  acted  like  a  weak  child  now,  entirely 
subjected  by  my  will.  He  wrote  the  permits  as  I 
directed. 

As  he  was  writing  it  occurred  to  me  there  must  be 
some  influence  behind  the  scenes  which  told  with 
him.  Else,  why  did  he  not  forthwith  write  out  the 
order  for  my  imprisonment  ?  He  had  done  it  hun- 
dreds of  times  before  in  the  case  of  men  infinitely 
more  influential  than  myself.  His  signature  would 
open  the  door  of  any  prison  in  Russia.  It  suggested 
itself  that  it  was  this  reason  which  was  at  the  bottom 
of  the  attempt  to  get  me  killed.  He  dared  not  fol- 
low out  his  own  desire. 

"  One  thing  puzzles  me,"  I  said,  coolly,  as  I  took 
the  permits.  "  Why  haven't  you,  instead  of  writing 
these,  written  an  order  packing  me  off  to  gaol  ?  What 
is  this  power  behind  you  ?  " 


142  By  Right  of  Sword 

"I  may  live  in  hope,  perhaps,"  he  returned 
"  Your  sword  and  your  shrewdness  may  carry  you 
far :  and  some  day  as  far  as  the  gaol  you  speak  of. 
I  shan't  fail  to  write  it  when  the  time  comes." 

I  left  him  with  that. 

As  I  left  the  house  a  man  pressed  close  to  me,  and 
I  turned  to  see  what  he  wanted.  There  was  no  one 
else  about. 

" Is  it  done?  "  he  whispered. 

I  looked  at  him  keenly ;  but  I  had  never  seen  him 
before,  I  thought. 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  I  asked. 

"  The  night  in  the  riverside  wharf,"  he  whispered 
back. 

He  was  a  Nihilist ;  here  right  in  the  very  eye  of 
the  police  web. 

"The  way  is  laid,"  I  answered,  equivocally,  as  I 
hurried  away. 

I  had  actually  forgotten  in  my  eagerness  all  about 
my  charge  to  kill  the  man  with  whom  I  had  been 
closeted  in  conference. 

But  I  saw  instantly  that  the  Nihilist  would  prob 
ably  hold  it  for  an  act  of  treachery  that  I  had  been 
in  Tueski's  house  and  yet  had  let  him  live. 


CHAPTER   XIIL 

OLGA   IN    A    NEW   LIGHT. 

I  WALKED  back  to  my  rooms  as  I  wished  to  cool  my 
head  and  think.  The  interview  with  Christian  Tues- 
ki  had  excited  me,  and  what  was  of  more  import- 
ance, had  kindled  a  hope  that  after  all  I  might  be 
able  to  escape  the  tremendous  difficulties  that  en- 
compassed me. 

One  thing  in  particular  pleased  me,  for  it  was  a 
double-edged  knife  loosening  two  sets  of  the  compli- 
cations. It  was  the  promise  I  had  given  to  the  man 
to  respect  his  wife  so  long  as  he  kept  faith  with  me. 
This  gave  me  power  over  him,  and  what  was  of  in- 
finitely greater  value  to  me  personally  it  was  a 
shrewd  defence  against  the  wife  also. 

I  smiled  as  I  thought  of  the  ingenuity  of  this ;  but 
I  little  thought  what  would  be  the  actual  result.  It 
seemed  then  the  shrewdest  and  cleverest,  as  well  as 
the  most  daring  thing  I  had  done ;  but  in  the  end 
the  consequences  were  such  as  might  properly  have 
followed  an  act  of  the  grossest  stupidity  and  villainy 
possible.  For  the  moment  it  pleased  me,  however, 
and  I  was  in  truth  finding  the  keenest  pleasure  in 
this  parrying  of  the  thrusts  which  the  fates  were 
making  at  me. 

There  was  a  problem  I  could  not  solve,  however, 
in  the  question  of  the  power  which  seemed  to  be  be- 
hind the  Chief  of  the  Police ;  the  power  which  made 


144  By  Right  of  Sword 

him  apparently  afraid  to  strike  me  openly  though  so 
willing  to  trip  me  secretly.  I  could  not  imagine 
what  it  could  be,  nor  whence  it  could  come. 

When  I  reached  my  rooms  my  sister  and  Paula 
Tueski  were  waiting  for  me  in  the  greatest  anxiety ; 
and  both  were  overjoyed  to  see  me  safe  and  appar- 
ently in  high  spirits.  The  police  agents  had  been 
for  the  fellow  I  had  left  under  lock  and  key ;  and  Olga 
had  taken  care  to  carry  out  my  instructions  to  the 
letter.  Her  quick  instincts  had  warned  her,  and  she 
had  made  a  parade  of  almost  affectionate  friendship 
for  the  other  woman  during  the  time  the  men  had 
been  present. 

After  I  arrived  she  could  scarcely  take  her  eyes  off 
me,  and  I  saw  them  glistening  as  with  tears. 

"  I  will  take  you  home,  directly,"  I  said,  carelessly, 
as  a  brother  might  speak.  "  But  I  have  something 
to  say  first  to  Madame  Tueski;  so  you  must  wait 
for  a  few  minutes." 

A  look  of  reproach  nearly  found  expression  in 
hasty  words,  but  remembering  herself  she  said 
hastily,  acting  the  part  to  the  life : — 

"Oh,  you're  always  so  mysterious,  Alexis.  I've 
no  patience  with  you." 

Then  I  led  the  other  into  my  second  sitting-room 
and  told  her  much  of  what  had  passed :  and  when  I 
came  to  that  part  of  the  interview  that  immediately 
concerned  herself,  she  was  very  bitter  and  angry. 

"  You  think  I  am  a  pawn  to  be  moved  where  you 
like  in  your  game ;  of  no  account,  and  the  meanest 
thing  on  the  board.  You  and  he  are  both  alike  in 
that — but  wait.  Your  life  is  mine,  Alexis.  I  have 
told  you." 

"  But  you  must  surely  see  that  the  first  considera- 
tion must  be  all  our  lives — to  say  nothing  of  our 


Olga  in  a  New  Light  145 

safety,"  I  answered,  rather  roughly,  I  fear,  and  very 
unsympathetically.  Her  heroics  rasped  me.  "  What 
the  deuce  is  the  good  of  your  loving  me  if  your  hus- 
band shuts  me  up  in  a  dungeon,  or  sends  me  dancing 
to  Siberia,  or  causes  a  dagger  to  let  out  my  life 
blood?" 

"  You  mean  to  keep  the  word  you  gave  him  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  so  long  as  he  keeps  his." 

She  fixed  her  large  lustrous  eyes  on  me  and  let 
them  rest  on  me  during  a  long  pause  of  silence. 

"  You  and  he  together  will  drive  me  to  some  des- 
perate deed,"  she  said,  at  length,  very  slowly. 
"  Then  perhaps  you  will  learn  what  a  love  like  mine 
will  dare  for  your  sake.  I  cannot  and  will  not  bear 
this  separation." 

She  wearied  me  with  these  protests,  but  I  said 
nothing  and  went  on  to  question  her  as  to  whether 
there  was  any  power  behind  her  husband  influencing 
him  in  regard  to  me.  She  knew  nothing,  but  ad- 
mitted that  she  had  her  suspicions. 

I  told  her  next  that  while  he  was  trying  to  assas- 
sinate me,  she  might  find  the  tables  turned  on  him, 
as  there  was  a  Nihilist  plot  on  foot  to  assassinate  him. 
She  paid  little  heed  to  it  at  first,  saying  that  there 
had  been  many  such  schemes  formed,  all  of  which 
had  proved  abortive,  because  he  was  most  carefully 
and  continuously  guarded.  A  moment  later,  how- 
ever, her  manner  changed  a  little,  and  she  questioned 
me  somewhat  closely  concerning  the  matter. 

"  They  don't  choose  their  agents  shrewdly  in  these 
things,"  she  said,  "and  we  hear  too  soon  of  their  de- 
signs. They  should  choose  a  man  like  you,  Alexis. " 
She  seemed  to  speak  with  a  hidden  meaning,  and  I 
was  doubtful  whether  she  knew  anything ;  but  I  kept 
my  doubts  to  myself. 


146  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  If  they  had  done  that,  I  had  a  rare  chance  to 
night,"  I  answered. 

"A  bold  man  or  a  reckless  woman  makes  the 
chance,"  she  retorted  in  the  same  manner.  "  I  am 
going,  Alexis :"  she  added,  and  then  forced  on  me 
caresses  which  were  vastly  repulsive.  But  I  could 
not  reveal  my  true  feelings  until  I  had  at  any  rate 
placed  Olga  in  safety.  My  indifference  and  cold- 
ness were  apparent  to  the  woman,  and  she  upbraided 
me  with  a  burst  of  angry  passion,  till  I  had  to  patch 
up  a  sort  of  peace. 

We  went  back  to  Olga  and  soon  afterwards  drove 
away,  Olga  and  I  setting  the  other  down  at  her  door. 

So  long  as  Madame  Tueski  was  with  us,  Olga  main- 
tained the  part  of  the  impatient  sister;  but  as  soon  as 
we  were  alone  her  manner  changed  altogether. 

" I  had  to  send  for  you  this  evening,"  I  said,  "and 
you  saved  me  from  a  situation  of  great  difficulty  arid 
hazard  by  coming  so  promptly.  I  thank  you  for 
having  done  so." 

No  reply.  I  glanced  at  her  in  the  gloomy  light 
in  the  cab  and  saw  the  profile  set  hard  and  immobile, 
with  the  lips  pressed  closely  together. 

"  Storm  signals  out,"  thought  I. 

"I  was  saying  I  thanked  you.  You  acted  with 
rare  discretion  and  did  me  a  great  service. " 

Not  a  word. 

"  You  were  not  so  silent  just  now,"  I  hazarded. 

"  I  was  acting — with  discretion."  She  repeated 
my  word  with  that  relish  and  enjoyment  which  a  well 
regulated  mind  always  feels  about  a  telling  sarcasm. 

"And  what  sort  of  discretion  is  this?  "  I  retorted, 
laughing. 

She  was  silent  again. 

"  I  have  a  good  deal  to  tell  you  in  explanation. w 


Olga  in  a  New  Light  147 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  hear  anything,  thank  you," 
she  interposed.  "I  can  trust  your  discretion" — 
much  emphasis  again  on  the  word — "  as  completely  as 
you  can  mine.  I  am  glad  to  have  been  of  use  to  you 
and  Madame  Tueski."  She  threw  the  word  "  use  " 
at  me  as  if  it  had  been  a  bomb  to  be  exploded  in  my 
face. 

"  What  have  I  done  that's  wrong?  I'm  very 
sorry,"  I  said. 

"  I  beg  you  not  to  apologise.  You  never  used  to, 
and  as  you  appear  to  be  slipping  back  into  your  old 
habits  it  would  be  out  of  character  to  apologise — to 
me.  I  am  only  to  be  used." 

"  I  don't  a  bit  understand  you. " 

There  was  a  moment's  silence,  and  then  she  could 
contain  her  indignation  no  longer  and  burst  out  with 
the  cause  of  it. 

"  Why  didn't  you  send  me  home  immediately  you 
returned?  You  could  surely  have  given  me  your 
servant  as  an  escort.  Then  you  would  have  spared 
me  the  shame  and  humiliation  of  waiting  during  your 
private  interchange  of  confidences  with  that  woman." 

At  that  instant  we  stopped  at  her  house. 

"Please  not  to  come  in  to-night,"  she  said.  "I 
have  had  to  keep  certain  things  waiting  here  while  I 
was  being  of  use  to  you,  and  was  sitting  alone  in 
your  rooms ;  and  I  have  now  very  much  to  do." 

"  1  am  sorry  to  trouble  you ;  but  I  am  coming  in. 
This  thing  must  be  cleared  up  at  once,"  and  I  fol- 
lowed my  very  angry  sister  into  the  house. 

She  led  the  way  to  a  small  drawing-room  and  turn« 
ing  to  me  said  coldly : — 

"  I  am  ready  to  hear  what  you  wish  to  say.** 

I  had  been  thinking  quickly  during  the  interval, 
and  now  changed  my  point  of  attack. 


148  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  I  had  a  very  serious  thing  to  say.  You  gave  me 
your  promise.  .  .  ." 

"  I  would  rather  you  would  not  remind  me  of  any 
promises,"  she  interrupted.  This  was  said  deliber- 
ately ;  but  then  she  broke  through  her  cold  formality 
and  with  a  little  stamp  of  her  foot  finished  angrily : 
— "I  won't  keep  them.  I  won't  be  reminded  of 
them.  Things  are  altered — altogether  altered. " 

"What  I  was  going  to  say  is  ..."  I  began, 
when  she  broke  in  again. 

"  I  won't  hear  it.  I  don't  want  to  hear  any  more. 
I  wish  you'd  go  away." 

"  You  must  hear  me,"  I  said  quietly,  but  with  some 
authority  in  my  tone. 

"'  Must!'     I  don't  understand  you." 

"  Must — for  your  own  safety. " 

"  Thank  you.  I  can  protect  myself.  Your  other 
cares  and  responsibilities  have  a  prior  claim  on  you. 
Will  you  please  leave  me  now  ?  " 

"  No,  I  can't  go,  until  I've  told  you.  ,  .  ." 

"  I  will  not  listen !  Didn't  I  tell  you  ?  "  She  was 
vehemence  itself. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  in  despair. 

"  This  morning  ..."  I  began ;  but  the  moment 
I  opened  my  lips  she  broke  out  again  with  her  vehe- 
ment interruptions. 

"Ah,  things  were  different  this  morning.  I  had 
not  then  been  insulted.  Do  you  forget  I  am  a  Rus- 
sian ;  and  think  you  can  treat  me  as  you  will — keep 
me  waiting  while — bah!  it  is  unbearable.  Will 
you  go  away?  Is  there  no  sense  of  manliness  in 
you  that  will  make  you  leave  me  ?  Must  I  call  for 
assistance  ?  I  will  do  that  if  you  do  not  leave  me. 
You  can  write  what  you  have  to  say.  But,  please, 
spare  me  the  pain  of  seeing  you  again. " 


Olga  in  a  New  Light  149 

Her  words  cut  me  to  the  quick ;  but  they  roused 
me  also. 

"  You  had  better  call  for  assistance,"  I  answered 
firmly.  Then  I  crossed  to  the  door,  locked  it,  and 
put  the  key  in  my  pocket.  "  I  will  spare  you  the 
pain  of  another  interview ;  but  now  that  I  am  here, 
I  decline  to  go  until  I  have  explained. " 

"  You  cannot  explain,"  she  burst  in.  The  word 
seemed  to  madden  her. 

"  Cannot  explain  what  ?  " 

"  That  woman's  kisses !  " 

The  words  appeared  to  leap  from  her  lips  involun- 
tarily; and  she  repented  them  as  soon  as  uttered; 
and  drawing  herself  up  she  tried  to  appear  cold  and 
stolid.  But  this  attempt  failed  completely ;  and  in 
her  anger  at  the  thought  behind  the  words  and  with 
herself  for  having  given  it  utterance,  she  stood  look- 
ing at  me,  her  bosom  heaving  and  tossing  with  agita- 
tion and  her  face  and  eyes  aglow  with  an  emotion, 
which,  with  a  strange  delight,  I  saw  was  jealousy. 

There  came  a  long  pause,  during  which  I  recalled 
her  manner  and  the  way  she  had  played  with  my 
words,  during  one  of  our  rides  when  we  had  spoken 
of  Devinsky's  proposal  to  make  her  his  wife. 

I  have  always  been  slow  to  read  women's  hearts 
and  have  generally  read  them  wrong;  but  I  began 
to  study  this  with  a  sense  of  new  and  peculiar 
pleasure. 

She  was  getting  very  dear  to  me  for  a  sister. 

If  my  guess  was  right,  my  conduct  with  that  in- 
fernal woman,  Paula  Tueski,  must  have  been  gall 
and  wormwood  to  Olga. 

How  should  I  have  relished  it  had  the  position 
been  reversed,  and  Devinsky  been  in  Paula  Tueski's 
place? 


150  By  Right  of  Sword 

These  thoughts  which  flashed  across  me  in  rapid 
succession  produced  a  peculiar  frame  of  mind.  I  had 
stood  a  minute  in  silence,  not  looking  at  her,  and 
when  I  raised  my  eyes  again  I  was  conscious  of  sen- 
sations toward  her  that  were  altogether  different 
from  anything  I  had  felt  before.  She  had  become 
more  beautiful  than  ever  in  my  eyes ;  I,  more  eager- 
ly anxious  to  please  and  appease;  while  at  bottom 
there  was  a  dormant  fear  that  I  might  be  mistaken 
in  my  new  reading  of  her  actions,  in  which  was  mixed 
up  another  fear,  not  nearly  so  strong,  that  her  anger 
on  account  of  Paula  Tueski  might  really  end  in  our 
being  separated. 

My  first  act  shewed  the  change  in  me. 

I  ceased  to  feel  the  freedom  with  which  I  had 
hitherto  acted  the  part  of  brother,  and  I  immediately 
threw  open  the  door  and  stood  aside  that  she  might 
/o  out  if  she  wished.  Then  I  said : — 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right.  My  conduct  may  be  in- 
excusable even  to  save  your  life." 

Whether  there  was  anything  in  my  manner  that 
touched  her — I  was  conscious  of  speaking  with  much 
less  confidence  than  usual;  or  whether  it  was  the  act 
of  unfastening  the  door:  or  whether,  again,  some 
subtle  influence  had  set  her  thoughts  moving  in 
parallel  columns  to  mine,  I  do  not  know.  But  her 
own  manner  changed  quite  as  suddenly  as  mine ;  and 
when  she  caught  my  eyes  on  her,  she  flushed  and 
paled  with  effects  that  made  her  radiantly  beautiful 
to  me. 

She  said  not  a  word;  and  finding  this,  I  con- 
tinued : — 

"  I  am  sorry  a  cloud  has  come  between  us  at  the 
last,  and  through  something  that  was  not  less  hateful 
to  me  because  forced  by  the  need?  of  the  case.  We 


Olga  in  a  New  Light 

have  been  such  friends;  but  ..."  here  I  handed 
her  the  permit — "  you  must  use  this  at  once." 

She  took  it  and  read  it  slowly  in  silence,  and  then 
asked:— 

"  How  did  you  get  this?  " 

"  Myself,  personally,  from  the  Chief  of  the  Police. " 

"  Why  did  you  run  the  mad  risk  of  going  to  him 
yourself  ? " 

"  There  was  no  risk — not  so  much  in  going  to  him 
as  in  keeping  away  from  him.  He  had  tried  to  have 
me  murdered,  and  I  went  to  find  out  the  reason." 

"  I  told  you  I  would  not  leave. " 

"  Unless — and  the  condition  now  applies — it  was 
necessary  for  my  safety." 

"  And  you  ?  "  The  light  of  fear  was  in  her  eyes 
as  she  asked  this. 

"  As  soon  as  you  are  across  the  frontier  I  shall 
make  a  dash  for  my  liberty  also.  I  can't  go  before, 
because  my  absence  would  certainly  bring  you  under 
suspicion." 

She  looked  at  me  again  very  intently,  her  head 
bent  slightly  forward  and  her  lips  parted  with  the 
strain  of  a  new  thought ;  while  suspicion  of  my  mo- 
tive chased  the  fear  for  my  safety  from  her  face. 

"  Is  this  to  get  me  out  of  the  way?     I  won't  go!  " 

"Olga!" 

All  my  honour  for  myself  and  my  love  for  her  were 
in  that  note  of  reproach,  and  they  appeared  to  waken 
an  echo ;  for  then  this  most  strange  girl  threw  herself 
down  on  to  a  couch  and  burying  her  face  in  her  hands 
sobbed  passionately. 

I  turned  away  from  the  sight  of  her  emotion — the 
more  painful  because  of  the  strong  self-reserve  and 
force  of  character  she  had  always  shewn — and  paced 
up  and  down  the  room.  I  forced  back  my  own  feel- 


By  Right  of  Sword 

ings  and  the  desire  to  tell  her  what  those  feelings 
were.  To  do  that  would  be  worse  than  madness. 
Till  we  were  out  of  Russia,  we  were  brother  and  sis- 
ter and  the  bar  between  us  was  heavier  than  we  could 
hope  to  move. 

When  the  storm  of  her  sobs  ceased,  she  remained 
for  some  minutes  quite  still :  and  I  would  not  break 
the  silence,  knowing  she  was  fighting  her  way  back 
to  self-possession. 

Presently,  she  got  up  and  came  to  me,  holding  out 
her  hand. 

"  I  will  go,  Alexis — we  are  still  firm  friends  ? " — 
with  a  little  smile  of  wistful  interrogation.  "Can 
you  forgive  my  temper  ?  I  was  mad  for  the  moment, 
I  think.  But  I  trust  you.  I  do  indeed,  absolutely. 
I  know  you  had  no  thought  of  insulting  me.  I  know 
that.  I  couldn't  think  so  meanly  of  you.  It's  hard 
to  leave  —  Russia  —  and  —  and  everything.  And 
you,  too — at  this  time.  Must  I  really  go  ? "  -d 
half-beseeching  glance  into  my  eyes  and  a  pause  for 
the  answer  I  could  not  give.  "  Very  well.  I  know 
what  your  silence  means.  Come  to-morrow  morn- 
ing— and  say  " — she  stopped  again  and  bit  her  trem- 
bling lips  to  steady  them  as  she  framed  the  words — 
"  and  say  good-bye  to  me.  And  now,  please,  let  me 
go — brother  and  truest  friend. " 

She  wrung  my  hand,  and  then  before  I  could  pre- 
vent her  or  even  guess  her  intention,  she  pressed 
her  lips  to  it  and,  with  the  tears  again  in  her  eyes, 
she  went  quickly  away,  leaving  me  to  stare  after  her 
like  a  helpless  fool,  longing  to  call  her  back  and  tell 
her  everything,  and  yet  afraid. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   DEED  WHICH    RANG  THROUGH   RUSSIA, 

IT  was  not  destined  that  Olga  should  leave  Russia 
yet. 

A  terrible  event  happened  within  the  next  few 
hours,  the  report  of  which  rang  through  Russia  like 
a  clap  of  thunder,  convulsing  the  whole  nation,  and 
shaking  for  the  moment  the  entire  social  fabric  to 
its  lowest  foundations.  And  one  of  its  smaller  con- 
sequences was  to  ruin  my  plans  and  expose  me  to 
infinite  personal  peril. 

Olga  was  to  start  at  noon,  and  I  proposed  to  see 
her  an  hour  before  then,  for  what  I  knew  would  be 
a  very  trying  ordeal.  But  I  was  at  that  hour  in  the 
midst  of  a  very  different  kind  of  interview. 

Outside  official  circles  I  was  one  of  the  first  men 
to  learn  the  news.  Just  before  ten  o'clock  a  messen- 
ger came  with  a  request  for  me  to  go  at  once  to  the 
chief  Police  Bureau.  I  started  in  the  full  conviction 
that  for  some  cause  Tueski  had  changed  his  mind 
and  meant  to  arrest  me.  I  was  of  course  helpless : 
and  could  do  no  more  than  scribble  a  hasty  line  to 
Olga  telling  her  of  my  appointment,  asking  her  not 
to  wait  for  me,  and  bidding  her  good-bye.  But  I 
did  not  send  it.  The  police  agent  said  with  great 
politeness  he  would  prefer  my  not  doing  anything 
then :  I  could  send  the  note  equally  well  from  the 
Bureau.  I  knew  what  that  meant,  and  yielded. 


154  By  Right  of  Sword 

The  moment  I  arrived  at  the  office  I  could  see 
that  some  event  of  altogether  unusual  importance 
and  gravity  had  occurred.  The  air  was  laden  with 
the  suggestion  of  excitement.  There  was  an  absence 
of  that  orderly,  business-like  routine  always  charac- 
teristic of  Russian  public  offices.  The  police  agents 
were  present  in  exceptionally  large  numbers ;  hurry- 
ing through  the  corridors,  thronging  the  rooms,  and 
standing  in  groups  engaged  in  animated  discussion. 

I  was  kept  waiting  some  time,  perhaps  half  an  hour, 
before  a  word  was  spoken  to  me  by  anyone  in  author- 
ity; and  then  I  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of  a 
man  I  did  not  know. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  trouble  you,  Lieutenant  Petrovitch, 
but  there  are  one  or  two  questions  you  can  answer — 
and  I  need  not  say  that  as  a  Russian  officer,  bearing 
the  Emperor's  commission,  we  shall  look  to  you  to 
reply  very  fully." 

I  bowed.  It  was  a  fit  preface  to  a  conversation 
which  should  end  as  such  things  generally  did.  But 
at  any  rate  I  should  learn  what  they  intended  to  do 
with  me.  Before  he  spoke  again  I  asked  that  the 
letter  I  had  written  to  Olga  might  be  sent ;  but  he 
put  the  question  aside,  with  a  curt  reply  that  it  could 
wait  until  the  Emperor's  business  was  finished;  and 
again  I  bowed  in  acquiescence.  I  could  do  noth- 
ing. 

"Please  to  tell  me  exactly  what  passed  between 
you  and  M.  Tueski  yesterday,"  he  said.  "  And  par- 
ticularly how  you  obtained  the  permit  for  yourself 
and  sister.  I  invite  you  to  be  particularly  frank." 

The  question  startled  me.  I  couldn't  understand 
it  "  Your  question  surprises  me,"  I  replied,  to  gain 
a  little  time  to  think.  "  M.  Tueski  himself 
and  can  surely  tell  you  everything/' 


Deed  Which  Rang  Through  Russia     155 

"  I  ask  my  questions  in  the  name  of  the  Emperor, 
Sir,"  returned  my  examiner,  sternly. 

"  M.  Tueski  had  done  me  the  honour  of  trying  to 
have  me  murdered,  and  I  went  to  see  him  to  demand 
the  reason.  He  did  not  deny  it.  I  persuaded  him 
in  the  end  to  abandon  his  private  malice  and  prevailed 
upon  him  to  give  me  the  permits  for  myself  and  my 
sister  to  leave  Russia  for  a  while.  When  he  had 
given  them  to  me  I  left  him." 

"Where  are  they?" 

"  Here  is  one.  The  other  is  with  my  sister,  who 
leaves  Moscow  at  midday. " 

"  You  may  stop  her  attempting  to  leave.  It  will 
be  useless.  What  else  passed  ? "  And  he  then 
plunged  into  a  close  cross-examination  of  me,  the 
real  object  of  which  I  could  not  guess,  unless  it 
meant  that  Tueski  had  in  some  way  got  into  a  mess 
for  letting  me  have  the  permits.  I  answered  all  the 
questions  as  fully  as  possible,  taking  care  only  to 
avoid  mentioning  Paula  Tueski 's  name  in  connection 
with  the  compact  with  her  husband. 

To  my  surprise  I  seemed  to  satisfy  the  man  for  the 
time.  When  he  had  about  turned  me  inside  out,  he 
sat  for  some  minutes  looking  over  my  answers  and 
comparing  them  with  some  of  his  notes :  after  which 
he  remained  thinking  closely. 

"  What  did  you  do  after  leaving  M.  Tueski  ?  " 

"  I  went  straight  to  my  rooms  to  my  sister  and 
Madame  Tueski ;  together  we  drove  Madame  Tueski 
to  her  house ;  I  then  went  home  with  my  sister,  re- 
mained there  about  an  hour  or  perhaps  less;  and 
went  home  and  to  bed." 

"You  have  told  me  all  you  know,  Lieutenant?" 

"You  can  ask  M.  Tueski,"  I  returned. 

He  fixed  his  eyes  steadily  on  me  while  I  could 


^56  By  Right  of  Sword 

have  counted  twenty,  and  then  said  slowly  and  with 
deep  emphasis : 

"M.  Tueski  is  dead." 

"  Dead ! "    I  repeated  in  the  profoundest  surprise. 

"Murdered.  Found  this  morning  in  the  lower 
part  of  his  own  house  with  a  dagger  thrust  through 
his  heart" 

"  Murdered  ?  "     I  could  scarcely  believe  my  ears. 

"  Yes.  '  For  Freedom's  sake, '  "  said  the  man  with 
a  curl  of  the  lip.  "  At  least,  so  a  message  on  the  dag- 
ger said.  Now  you  can  understand  the  significance 
of  my  questions. " 

I  understood  it  all  well  enough :  far  better  than 
the  man  himself  even  imagined ;  and  I  was  complete- 
ly beaten  as  to  what  the  inner  meaning  of  this  most 
terrible  event  could  be. 

One  of  my  first  reflections  was  that  if  any  of  the 
suspicions  of  my  Nihilism,  which  the  dead  man  en- 
tertained, were  chronicled  anywhere,  my  arrest  and 
that  of  Olga  would  certainly  follow ;  and  we  should 
both  be  doomed. 

"I  can  scarcely  realise  it,"  I  said.  "It  is  hor- 
rible!" 

*'  So  these  wretches  will  find,"  returned  my  inter- 
locutor. "These  carrion!  But  now,  in  view  of 
this — and  I  have  told  you  because  of  the  candid 
manner  in  which  you  have  answered  my  questions — 
is  there  anything  you  noticed  in  your  visit  yesterday 
to  help  us  ?  " 

Clearly,  he  did  not  suspect  me;  and  no  records 
had  been  found  yet. 

"  No.  The  place  seemed  alive  with  inmates — like 
a  rabbit  warren.  Enough  to  have  held  it  against  a 
regiment.  Good  God,  what  villains!"  I  cried  in 
horror.  Mine  was  genuine  feeling  enough,  for  some 


Deed  Which  Rang  Through  Russi\    157 

of  the  terrible  effects  to  myself  were  fast  crowding 
into  my  thoughts.  I  recalled  my  encounter  with  my 
Nihilist  comrade  on  the  very  threshold  of  the  housa 

"Of  course,  those" permits  will  be  withdrawn  now 
Lieutenant,"  said  the  official  as  he  dismissed  m« 
But  his  manner  was  much  less  severe  and  curt  thari 
at  the  outset.  "As  a  matter  of  fact  they  ought 
never  to  have  been  granted,  though  I  cannot  explain 
why  just  now.  But  under  the  circumstances  you 
will  probably  feel  personally  unwilling  to  leave  Rus- 
sia at  such  a  juncture." 

"  I  should  feel  myself  a  traitor,"  said  I,  grandilo- 
quently; and  in  fact  I  did  feel  very  much  like  one 
as  I  left  him,  rejoicing  that  I  still  breathed  the  fresh 
air  of  heaven  instead  of  the  fo*tid  atmosphere  of  a 
gaol. 

One  thing  was  certain  now — neither  Olga  nor  I 
could  hope  to  escape  yet.  Any  attempt  would  be  fatal. 
The  murder  of  such  a  man  would  mean  that  the  lurid 
search  light  of  suspicion  would  fall  in  all  directions, 
on  the  guilty  and  guiltless  alike.  The  liberty  cer- 
tainly, and  probably  the  life,  of  every  suspected 
Nihilist  in  Moscow  at  the  moment  were  at  stake: 
and  the  slightest  trip  or  false  step  on  our  part  would 
amount  to  a  direct  invitation  to  ruin. 

As  I  walked  back  sadly  and  thoughtfully  to  my 
rooms,  I  had  abundant  proofs  of  the  terrible  effect  of 
the  assassination.  The  police  agents  were  every- 
where, watching,  raiding,  arresting ;  and  in  my  short 
walk  I  met  more  than  one  gloomy  party  of  them, 
each  with  its  one  or  two  prisoners  in  their  midst, 
hurrying  on  foot  or  in  hired  carriages  to  the  police 
stations. 

It  is  not  my  business,  however,  to  describe  her« 
the  scenes  that  followed  the  most  daring,  most  secret, 


158  By  Right  of  Sword 

most  thrilling,  and,  save  one,  most  terrible  assassina 
lion  that  ever  convulsed  Russia.  The  murder  of  the 
Czar  stirred  the  surface  of  the  world  more,  because 
it  had  more  of  the  pageantry  of  crime  about  it ;  but 
the  death  of  the  Chief  of  the  Secret  Police  caused  a 
much  deeper  sense  of  insecurity,  and  spread  a  far 
greater  dread  of  the  secret  power  of  Nihilism. 

Who  had  done  it  ?  To  me  it  was  an  inscrutable 
mystery;  unless  it  had  been  the  man  I  had  seen  near 
the  house.  But  what  I  had  to  consider  was  not  whose 
hand  had  driven  the  dagger  home,  but  rather  what  the 
effects  would  be  to  me  and  to  her  for  whose  safety  I 
now  felt  more  fears  and  concern  than  I  had  felt  for 
myself  in  all  my  life. 

One  incident  in  the  interview  I  had  just  had  im- 
pressed me  greatly :  the  reference  which  the  official 
had  dropped  as  to  the  power  behind  Tueski  in  deal- 
ing with  me.  My  questioner  had  seemed  to  know 
about  it  that  morning :  and  all  this  perplexed  me. 

As  soon  as  I  reached  my  rooms  I  had  to  hurry  off 
to  the  barracks  in  response  to  an  urgent  summons ; 
and  I  joined  readily  in  the  excited  conversation  of 
my  comrades  about  this  latest  Nihilist  stroke.  The 
news  was  only  beginning  to  leak  out,  and  it  as- 
sumed the  wildest  shapes ;  nor  did  I  feel  at  liberty 
to  reduce  the  rumours  to  facts. 

Before  the  morning's  work  was  over  orders  came 
that  the  troops  were  to  be  paraded  for  duty  in  the 
streets :  and  we  were  told  off  for  patrol  work  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  city  to  protect  the  railway  stations, 
and  other  public  buildings.  All  that  day  we  were 
kept  on  duty ;  and  as  other  troops  came  pouring  in 
from  other  centres  the  whole  place  seemed  under 
arms  like  a  beleaguered  town. 

All  day  and  all  night  the  raids  and  surprise  visits 


Deed  Which  Rang  Through  Russia    1 59 

by  the  police  were  in  progress,  and  hundreds,  if  not 
thousands,  of  men  and  women  must  have  been  ar- 
rested, until  the  gaols  were  crowded  to  suffocation 
point,  and  every  spot  where  prisoners  could  be  packed 
was  crammed  and  choked  with  suspects. 

The  cries  and  curses  of  men  and  the  shrieks  of 
women  made  the  air  stifling. 

We  were  not  relieved  until  late  at  night,  having 
been  all  day  without  food ;  and  even  then  we  were 
kept  in  the  barracks  in  readiness  for  any  disturbance. 

The  next  day's  programme  was  much  the  same ; 
and  I  fretted  at  not  being  able  to  either  see  or  send 
to  Olga.  Knowing  of  her  brother's  Nihilism  she 
would  surely  think  I  had  been  arrested ;  while  I  on 
my  side  was  afraid  for  her. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  we  got  leave  from 
duty  and  from  barracks  for  a  few  hours ;  and  I  went 
straight  off  to  Olga.  Meanwhile  not  a  hint  had 
been  obtained  as  to  the  identity  of  the  assassin. 

I  found  Olga  white  and  wan  and  ill  on  my  account ; 
and  when  we  met  I  was  on  my  side  almost  too  moved 
for  speech.  At  first  I  could  do  no  more  than  glance 
into  her  eyes  as  we  clasped  each  the  other's  hand. 

"  You  are  looking  frightfully  ill,  Olga, "  I  said  at 
length. 

She  returned  my  look  without  a  word  and  then  her 
brow  contracted,  she  breathed  deeply  as  if  in  pain, 
and  turning  away  wrung  her  hands  with  a  gesture  of 
despair. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  What  has  happened  to  you  ? 
There  must  be  something.  ..."  I  stopped,  or  rather 
the  sight  of  the  white  face  all  drawn  and  quivering 
with  pain  stopped  me. 

"Oh,  it  is  too  horrible,  too  awful!  God  have 
nercy  on  us !  God  have  mercy  on  us  I  ** 


i6o  fly  Right  of  Sword 

Bad  as  things  were  so  far  as  I  knew  them,  this  de- 
jection seemed  disproportionate  and  excessive.  Sho 
was  like  a  mad  woman  distraught  with  fear  or  grief ; 
and  she  waved  her  hands  about  as  if  wrestling  with 
emotions  she  could  not  conquer. 

"Oh,  it  can't  be  true;  it  can't  be,"  she  moaned; 
and  then  came  suddenly  to  me,  turned  my  face  to  the 
light  holding  it  between  her  white  trembling  hands, 
and  gazed  at  me  with  a  look  of  mingled  anguish, 
fear,  doubt,  wildness,  and — love ;  her  lips  parted  and 
her  bosom  rising  and  falling  as  if  with  the  strain  of 
her  passionate  feelings. 

When  her  scrutiny  was  over,  her  hands  seemed  to 
slip  down  and  she  fell  on  her  knees  close  to  me  and 
I  heard  her  muttering  prayers  with  vehement  fervour. 

"  What  does  this  mean,  Olga  ?  "  I  asked  gently, 
bending  down  and  laying  my  hand  on  her  shoulder. 
She  looked  round  and  up  at  my  touch,  and  tried  to 
smile.  Then  she  rose  and  standing  opposite  to  me, 
put  her  hands  on  my  two  shoulders  so  that  her  face 
was  close  beneath  mine.  And  all  the  time  she  was 
muttering  prayers.  Then,  in  a  voice  all  broken  and 
tremulous,  she  said : — 

"  Brother,  swear  as  you  believe  there  is  a  God  in 
Heaven,  you  will  answer  truly  what  I  ask." 

"  I  will.  I  swear  it,"  I  answered,  wishing  to  quiet 
her. 

"  Did  you  really  do  this  ?  " 

"  Do  what  ?  "  I  asked,  not  understanding. 

"Kill  Christian  Tueski?" 

"Did  I  kill  him?  No,  child,  certainly  not*  I 
spoke  in  the  greatest  astonishment. 

"Oaths  may  bind  you  to  secrecy,  I  know.  But 
for  God's  sake,  tell  me  the  truth — the  truth.  You 
can  tell  me  I  am  ...  ."  I  felt  her  shudder. 


Deed  Which  Rang  Through  Russia     161 

"  Is  it  this  which  has  been  driving  you  distracted? 
There  is  no  cause.  I  know  no  more  by  whose  hand 
that  man  came  by  his  death  than  a  babe  unborn. " 

"  Say  that  again,  Alexis.  Say  it  again.  It  is  the 
sweetest  music  I  have  heard  in  all  my  life." 

I  repeated  the  assurance,  and  a  smile  of  genuine 
relief  broke  out  over  her  face.  Next  she  cried  and 
laughed  and  cried  again,  and  then  sat  down  as  if  com- 
pletely overcome  by  the  rush  of  relief  from  a  too 
heavy  strain. 

"  What  does  all  this  mean  ?  "  I  asked  quietly,  after 
a  while.  "  Try  and  tell  me." 

"  I  have  been  like  a  mad  thing  for  two  days.  Let 
me  wait  awhile.  I  will  tell  you  presently.  Oh, 
thank  God,  thank  God,  for  what  you  have  said.  It 
drove  me  mad  to  think  you  should  have  been  driven 
to  this  by  me;  and  that  perhaps  for  my  sake  you 
might  have  been  urged  to  do  such  a  horrible  thing. 
Waking  and  sleeping  alike  I  have  thought  of  nothing 
but  of  your  suffering  torture  and  death.  And  all 
through  me — through  me."  She  covered  her  face 
in  horror  at  the  remembrance  of  her  thoughts :  but  a 
moment  later  took  away  her  hands  to  smile  at  me. 

"  You  have  not  told  me  yet  what  made  you  think 
anything  of  the  sort." 

"  I  will  tell  you.  As  soon  as  I  heard  the  news,  I 
knew  of  course  that  as  I  had  been  mixed  up  in  some 
old  Nihilist  troubles,  it  would  be  hopeless  for  me  to 
think  of  leaving  Moscow ;  and  when  the  police  agent 
tame  I  let  him  understand  that  I  had  given  up  all 
thought  of  travelling  yet.  Then  I  was  all  anxiety 
for  news  of  you,  and  in  the  afternoon  I  went  to  your 
rooms.  I  found  the  door  shut  and  could  hear  noth- 
ing. Then  I  began  to  fear  for  you.  I  am  only  a 
woman. " 


1 62  By  Right  of  Sword 

She  stopped  and  smiled  to  me  before  resuming. 
Then  with  a  shudder  she  continued : — 

"Then  a  most  strange  thing  happened.  Borlas 
came  to  me  just  at  dusk;  and  he  looked  so  strange 
that  at  first  I  thought  he  had  been  drinking.  Saying 
he  had  a  message  from  you  he  waited  until  I  had  sent 
the  servant  away. 

" '  What  is  it  ? '  I  asked. 

"  For  answer  he  gave  me  a  sign  that  made  my  heart 
sink.  I  knew  it  too  well,  and  I  looked  at  him  with 
the  keenest  scrutiny.  Had  the  Nihilists  put  a  spy 
on  you  even  in  your  own  servant  ?  Then  I  saw- — 
that  it  was  not  Borlas,  but  a  man  so  cleverly  made  up 
to  resemble  him  that  I  had  been  at  first  deceived. 

" '  What  do  you  want  here  ? '  I  asked,  now  with 
every  nerve  in  my  body  at  full  tension. 

" '  Do  you  know  ?  '  and  the  light  in  his  eyes 
seemed  to  flash  into  mine. 

"  '  Do  I  know  what  ? '  I  could  see  there  was  some- 
thing behind  all  this. 

"  He  bent  close  to  me,  though  we  were  of  course 
alone,  and  spoke  his  reply  in  a  fierce  whisper. 

"  '  Tell  your  brother  that  after  this  proof  our  hearts 
beat  but  for  him ;  our  plans  shall  all  wait  on  him ; 
every  man  of  us  will  go  to  his  death  silently  and 
cheerfully  at  his  mere  bidding.  He  leads,  we  follow. 
He  has  nobly  kept  his  pledge  for  the  cause  of  God 
and  Freedom. ' 

"  As  I  heard  this  my  heart  seemed  to  stop  in  pain. 
I  had  to  hold  to  the  table  to  save  myself  from  falling." 

" '  Do  you  mean,'  I  gasped,  '  that  Alexis  has  mur- 
dered. .  .  .' 

" '  Silence,  sister,'  replied  the  man  sternly.  '  That 
is  no  word  for  you  to  utter  or  for  me  to  hear.  Your 
brother  is  as  true  a  friend  as  Russian  Liberty  ever 


Deed  Which  Rang  Through  Russia     163 

had;  and  I  thank  my  God  that  I  have  ever  been 
allowed  to  even  touch  the  hand  that  has  dealt  this 
vigorous  blow  and  done  this  noble  and  righteous  act. ' 

"  '  I  will  tell  him,'  I  said. 

" '  Tell  him  also,  he  need  have  no  fear.  Not  a 
man  who  was  at  the  meeting  is  in  the  city  now,  save 
me;  and  not  a  single  soul  of  the  thousands  these 
hell  dogs  of  tyranny  can  seize  knows  anything — save 
only  me.  And  I  would  to  the  Almighty  God  they 
would  take  me  and  torture  me  and  tear  my  flesh  off 
bit  by  bit  with  their  cursed  red-hot  pincers  that  I 
might  use  my  last  breath  and  my  latest  effort  to  taunt 
them  that  I  know  the  hero  who  has  done  it,  and  die 
with  my  knowledge  a  secret. ' 

"  Then  this  terrible  man,  you  may  not  know  his 
name,  but  I  know  him,  left  me,  telling  me  it  was  '  a 
glorious  day  for  Russia,  and  that  God  would  smile 
for  ever  upon  you  for  this  deed.'  And  I — I  was 
plunged  into  a  maelstrom  of  agonising  fears,  racking 
doubts,  and  poisoned  thoughts  about  you  and  what  I 
had  led  you  to  do." 

What  Olga  said  had  also  immense  importance  and 
significance  for  me.  It  shewed  me  a  startling  view 
of  my  situation.  It  was  clear  the  Nihilists  attributed 
the  murder  to  me,  and  what  effect  that  would  have 
upon  us  I  was  at  a  loss  even  to  conjecture. 

"  The  man's  blood  is  not  on  my  hands,  Olga ;  but 
I  cannot  be  surprised  at  the  mistake.  I  will  tell  you 
everything ;  "  and  I  told  her  then  all  that  had  passed. 

"  Who  can  have  done  it  then  ?  "  she  asked,  when  I 
finished. 

"  It  is  as  complete  a  mystery  to  me  as  to  the  police. 
The  man  I  saw  near  the  house  might  have  done  it ; 
but  then  I  suppose  it  must  have  been  the  same  man 
who  came  to  you :  and  in  that  case  he  certainly 


164  By  Right  of  Sword 

wouldn't  have  set  it  down  to  me.  I  am  beaten. 
But  I  am  likely  to  find  the  wrongful  inheritance 
embarrassing.  I  must  be  more  cautious  than  ever 
to  draw  down  no  word  of  suspicion  upon  either  of  us. 
We  must  both  be  scrupulously  careful.  And  thus  it 
will  be  impossible  for  you  to  think  of  getting  away." 

"It's  a  leaden  sky  that  has  no  silver  streak,"  re- 
plied Olga.  "And  that  impossibility  is  my  streak." 

I  could  not  but  understand  this,  and  even  while  my 
judgment  condemned  her,  my  heart  was  warmed  by 
her  words.  But  my  judgment  spoke. 

"  If  you  were  away  my  anxieties  would  be  all  but 
ended." 

"  If  I  were  away  my  anxieties  would  be  all  but  un- 
endurable," she  retorted,  following  my  words  and 
smiling.  It  was  not  possible  to  hear  this  with  any- 
thing but  delight;  but  I  had  my  feelings  too  well 
under  control  now  to  let  them  be  seen  easily. 

"  That  may  be,"  I  said.  "  But  my  first  and  chief 
effort  will  be  to  get  you  safe  across  the  frontier." 

She  made  no  answer :  but  her  manner  told  me  she 
would  not  consent  to  go  until  it  had  become  a  rank 
impossibility  for  her  to  stay.  Presently  she  said 
with  much  feeling : — 

"  If  I  had  been  away  and  the  news  had  come  that 
you  had  done  the  thing  these  men  assert,  how  do  you 
think  I  could  have  borne  it  ?  I  should  have  either 
come  rushing  back  here  or  have  died  of  remorse  and 
fear  and  anxiety  on  your  account.  It  was  through 
me  you  commenced  all  this." 

"But  of  my  own  choice  that  I  continued,"  I  re- 
plied. "  And,  believe  me,  if  all  were  to  come  over 
again  I  should  act  in  just  the  same  way.  I  have 
never  had  such  a  glorious  time  before;  and  all  I 
want  now  is  to  see  you  safe. " 


Deed  Which  Rang  Through  Russia     165 

Olga  paused  to  look  at  me  steadily. 

"  You've  never  told  me  all  the  reason  why  you 
were  so  ready  to  take  all  these  desperate  risks.  Will 
you  tell  me  now  ? 

"  I  had  made  a  mess  of  things  generally,  as  I  told 
you  before,"  I  answered,  with  a  smile  and  a  slight 
flush  at  the  reminiscences  thus  disturbed  by  her 
question. 

"  Was  there  a  woman  in  it  ?  "  Her  eyes  were  fixed 
on  me  as  she  put  the  question. 

"There's  a  woman  in  most  things,"  I  answered, 
equivocally. 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  so."  She  turned  away  and  looked 
down,  and  asked  next : — 

"  Were  you  very  fond  of  her,  Alexis  ?  " 

"  Judging  by  the  little  ripple  that  remains  on  the 
surface  now  that  she's  gone  out  of  my  life,  no:  judg- 
ing by  the  splash  the  stone  made  at  first,  yes.  But 
she's  gone." 

"  Yet  the  waters  of  the  pool  may  be  left  perma- 
nently clouded.  I  am  sorry  for  you,  Alexis :  and  if 
you  were  really  my  brother,  I  would  try  and  help  you 
two  together." 

"  That's  not  altogether  a  very  proper  thing  to  say." 
I  spoke  lightly,  and  she  looked  up  to  question  me. 
"  Her  husband  might  not  thank  you,  I  mean :  though 
I'm  not  quite  sure  about  that ;"  and  then  having  told 
her  so  much,  I  told  her  the  story  of  my  last  meeting 
with  Sir  Philip  Cargill  and  Edith.  But  she  did  not 
take  it  as  I  wished. 

"  You  must  have  loved  her  if  you  meant  to  kill  her," 
she  said. 

"  And  ceased  then,  if  I  left  her  to  live  a  miserable 
life." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  the  woman  you  have  ceased 


1 66  By  Right  of  Sword 

to  love,"  she  said,  woman-like  in  curiosity — and 
something  else. 

"  You  may  do  that  yet,  if  only  Alexis  Petrovitch 
can  make  a  safe  way  for  his  sister  out  of  Russia ;" 
and  then  I  added,  pausing  and  looking  at  her  with  a 
meaning  in  my  eyes  which  I  wished  her  to  under- 
stand though  I  dared  not  put  it  in  plain  words : — 
"But  we  shall  not  be  brother  and  sister  then." 

She  glanced  up  hurriedly,  her  face  aglow  with  a 
sudden  rush  of  thought — pleasurable  thought,  too — 
and  then  looked  down  again  and  smiled. 

"  In  that  case  how  should  we  two  be  together  ? " 
she  asked. 

"  Do  you  mean  that  such  a  time  as  this  will  be 
likely  to  render  us  ready  to  part  ?  " 

To  that  her  only  answer  was  another  glance  and  a 
deeper  blush.  Then  I  made  an  effort  and  recovered 
myself  on  the  very  verge. 

"  But  while  we  are  here,  we  are  brother  and  sister, 
Olga;"  and  feeling  that  if  I  wished  to  keep  other 
things  unsaid  I  had  better  go  away,  I  left  her. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A   SHE    DEVIL. 

THE  more  I  contemplated  the  position  the  less  I  liked 
it,  and  the  more  urgent  appeared  the  reasons  for  hurry- 
ing Olga  out  of  the  country. 

All  my  care  was  for  her.  Before  this  new  feeling 
of  mine  for  her  had  forced  itself  upon  me,  the  situa- 
tion had  been  really  a  game  of  wits  with  my  life  as 
the  stake;  but  now  Olga's  life,  or  at  least  her  lib- 
erty, was  also  at  stake.  It  was  there  the  crisis 
pinched  me  till  I  winced  and  writhed  under  it.  Fear 
had  got  hold  of  me  at  last  and  I  tugged  restlessly  at 
the  chain. 

That  night  and  the  next  day,  the  day  of  Christian 
Tueski's  funeral,  were  occupied  with  heavy  duties, 
because  the  authorities,  both  military  and  civil,  per- 
sisted in  believing  there  was  danger  of  an  £meute. 
I  could  have  counselled  them  differently  if  I  had 
dared  to  open  my  lips.  At  least  I  thought  I  could ; 
although  I  did  not  then  hold  the  key  to  the  mystery. 

I  got  it  from  Paula  Tueski. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  but  one  after  the 
funeral,  I  had  a  brief  note  asking  me  to  call  on  her. 

I  went  and  found  her  surrounded  by  all  the  signs 
and  trappings  of  the  deepest  mourning.  She  received 
me  very  gravely,  and  while  there  was  anyone  in  the 
room,  she  played  the  part  of  the  sorrowing,  discon- 
solate widow:  but  the  instant  we  were  alone  she 


1 68  By  Right  of  Sword 

shewed  a  most  indecent  and  revolting  haste  to  let 
me  know  her  mind. 

"  We  are  alone,  now,  Alexis,"  she  said. 

"  I  have  called  as  you  asked  and  because  I  wished 
to  express  my  sympathy.  .  .  ." 

"  Psh !  Don't  let  us  be  hypocrites,  you  and  I,"  she 
exclaimed,  half  angrily,  and  with  great  energy.  "  I 
do  not  pretend  to  you  that  I  am  sorry  to  be  free,  and 
don't  you  pretend  to  me  either." 

I  didn't  answer,  and  my  silence  irritated  her. 

"  Would  you  have  me  weep,  tear  my  hair,  put 
ashes  on  my  head  and  grovel  in  the  dust  because  the 
biggest  villain  and  coward  and  beast  that  ever  lived 
in  human  shape  is  dead?  I  hated  him  living;  shall 
I  love  him  dead  ?  " 

"  At  least  the  dead  are  dead,  and  to  revile  them  is 
mere  empty  brutality,"  said  I,  somewhat  harshly. 

"Then  I  like  empty  brutality  if  it  relieves  my 
feelings.  God!  I  have  been  a  hypocrite  long 
enough.  I  should  hate  myself  if  I  did  not  speak  the 
truth  to  you." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.     I  had  no  answer. 

"Why  didn't  you  send  a  wreath  of  pure  white 
flowers  as  an  emblem  of  your  regard  ?  Why  not  a 
message  to  swell  the  millions  of  lies  that  men  have 
uttered  in  their  squalid  fear  of  offending  the  Govern- 
ment by  silence  ?  Ugh !  It  makes  me  sick  when  I 
think  of  it  all;"  and  she  shuddered  as  if  in  disgust. 
"  He  was  a  devil,  and  I  won't  call  him  by  any  softer 
name  merely  because  his  power  to  harm  is  gone. 
Didn't  he  try  to  murder  you?  And  wasn't  it  jeal- 
ousy? Ah,  we  have  much  to  be  thankful  to  the 
Nihilists  for,  you  and  I."  There  was  an  indescrib- 
able suggestion  of  a  hidden  meaning  about  this. 

I  hated  the  woman. 


A  She  Devil  169 

44  You  have  no  clue  yet,  I  suppose  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  have  a  clue,"  she  replied,  with  a  laugh 
that  sounded  like  a  threat.  "  I  can  put  my  hand  on 
the  murderer  when  I  will — and  I  will,  if  he  proves  a 
traitor." 

"  You  are  in  a  dramatic  mood,"  I  answered.  "  Who 
is  the  man  ?  Why  not  denounce  him  ?  Surely  this 
act  is  what  you  must  call  treachery." 

"There  was  a  Nihilist  plot  to  kill  the  man,"  she 
said*  speaking  with  contemptuous  flippancy  of  accent 
of  the  dead. 

"  Yes,  I  told  you  that  myself,"  I  replied. 

"  It  was  because  of  that  he  died. 

"  So  everybody  thinks." 

"  And  how  do  you  account  for  it  ?  "  she  asked, 
looking  at  me  keenly. 

"  I  have  no  more  idea  than  yourself." 

She  laughed;  and  a  hard,  forced  laugh  it  was. 
Then  she  got  up  from  her  chair  and  walked  twice 
up  and  down  the  room  in  dead  silence.  She  stopped 
in  front  of  me  and  stared  down  into  my  eyes. 

"  Alexis,  do  you  really  love  me  ?  " 

The  question  was  an  exceedingly  unpleasant  one 
and  filled  me  with  disgust. 

"  Surely  this  is  no  time  for  us  to  speak  of  such 
things,"  I  said. 

"  Do  you  love  me,  Alexis  ?  "  she  repeated. 

"  I  will  not  answer  now,"  I  said,  rising. 

"  Why  not  ?  Why  should  we  not  speak  of  love 
now — now,  aye,  and  always  ?  Or  is  your  passion  so 
poor  and  sickly  a  thing  that  a  puff  from  the  wind  of 
propriety  kills  it?  Not  speak  of  such  things!  I 
would  plight  my  love  to  you  across  the  very  body  of 
the  dead  man ! "  She  spoke  with  passionate  vehe- 
mence. "  Remember  what  I  told  you — your  life  is 


By  Right  of  Sword 

mine.  You  cannot  escape  me.  Now,  tell  me,  do 
you  love  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  given  my  answer,  and  if  you  ask  that  ques- 
tion again  to-day  I  will  not  stop  in  the  room,"  I  said 
angrily:  the  woman's  persistency  increasing  my  dis- 
gust. 

She  laughed — a  half  hysterical  laugh  of  anger. 

"  So  you  will  not  stop  in  the  room  and  will  never, 
I  suppose,  return.  Be  careful,"  she  cried,  with  one 
of  her  quick  passionate  changes.  "  Or  I  will  send 
you  away  and  never  let  you  come  back  except  beg- 
ging for  mercy  on  your  knees  for  yourself  and  your 
sister."  She  turned  away  and  stood  by  the  window ; 
and  I  could  see  by  her  movements  that  she  was 
struggling  with  violent  emotions. 

She  came  back  at  length,  the  face  paler  and  the 
voice  not  so  steady. 

"  I  will  ask  you  if  you  love  me, "  she  said.  "  And 
I  dare  you  to  go  away  from  the  room." 

I  accepted  the  challenge  without  an  instant's  hesi- 
tation. 

"  I  am  going.  I  will  see  you  when  you  are  cooler," 
and  I  went  to  the  door. 

With  a  quick  rush  she  prevented  my  opening  it, 
and  putting  her  back  to  it  stared  at  me  in  the  most 
violent  passion,  which  thickened  her  voice  as  she 
spoke. 

"  You  shall  go  directly — if  you  wish  to.  You  will 
make  me  hate  you,  one  day,  Alexis,  and  then — I  will 
kill  you. " 

"  It  will  be  far  better  for  me  to  come  some  other 
time,"  I  said,  anxious  to  leave. 

"You  will  have  plenty  of  opportunities,  never 
fear,"  she  retorted,  with  a  very  angry,  sneering  laugh. 
"  And  what  is  more,  you  will  not  dare  not  to  use 


A  She  Devil  171 

them.  Listen — it  is  love  for  you  drives  me  to  this 
— a  love  that  you  can  never  escape  now,  Alexis,  even 
if  you  had  the  will." 

She  paused ;  but  I  said  nothing.  I  had  nothing 
to  say.  All  I  wished  was  to  get  away. 

"  Do  you  think  there  is  anything  I  would  not  do  for 
your  love,  Alexis  ?  I  have  told  you  there  is  nothing 
— told  you  so  scores  of  times.  Now,  I  have  proved 
it.  Do  you  hear — proved  it.  I  proved  it  a  few 
nights  ago  when  this  hand  plunged  the  dagger  hilt 
deep  into  my  husband's  heart — for  your  sake." 

I  started  back  and  looked  at  the  woman  in  horror. 

"  Yes,  this  hand  " — she  held  it  out — "  so  .white, 
smooth,  deft,  and  shapely.  Don't  start  from  it. 
There  is  no  blood  shewing  on  it  now.  And  never 
was.  I  know  how  to  thrust  a  dagger  home  too 
cleverly  to  leave  trace  of  either  blood  or  guilt  on 
me.  In  all  this  Moscow  of  ours  the  one  person  who 
is  deemed  above  all  others  guiltless — is  myself. 
Had  it  been  in  reality  the  Nihilist  deadly  secret 
stroke  that  men  deem  it,  it  could  not  have  been  more 
cunningly  contrived,  more  secretly  planned,  more 
fatally  executed.  Yet  the  motive  was  not  hate  of  a 
Government,  but  love  for  a  man.  For  you,  Alexis : 
you  and  you  only.  Now  do  you  wish  to  go  ?  " 

She  moved  away  from  the  door ;  but  I  made  no 
attempt  to  go.  The  horror  of  her  story  had  fasci- 
nated me. 

"  There  was  a  tinge  of  hate  in  it,  too,  mark  you, 
and  more  than  a  tinge.  But  I'll  tell  you  all.  You 
ought  to  know,  since  you  were  in  reality  the  cause 
of  all.  You  gave  me  the  motive,  suggested  the  oc- 
casion, and  provoked  that  which  led  to  it.  More 
than  that,  too,  you  can  by  a  single  word  from  me  be 
made  to  bear  the  brunt.  Now,  will  you  go  ?  " 


172  By  Right  of  Sword 

Was  the  woman  mad  that  she  spoke  in  this  way  ? 
If  so,  there  was  a  devilish  method  in  her  madness,  as 
the  story  she  told  quickly  shewed  me. 

"  I  knew  the  day  would  come  when  either  I  should 
kill  him  or  he  would  kill  me ;  for  he  was  a  devil. 
Well,  you  roused  all  that  was  most  evil,  vicious,  and 
fiendish  in  him  in  that  interview ;  and  when  I  saw 
him  he  was  like  a  man  bereft  of  his  wits.  Every 
form  of  reproach  he  could  heap  on  me  in  cold,  con- 
temptuous, galling  sneers  he  uttered  with  all  the 
calculated  aggravation  that  could  make  a  taunt  un- 
bearable. He  threatened  me  in  every  tone  of  men- 
ace :  and  when  I  answered,  turned  suddenly  furious 
and  struck  me  violent  blows  and  vowed  to  kill  me. 
It  was  then  I  recalled  your  words,  that  there  was  a 
Nihilist  plot  against  his  life;  and  I  vowed  I  would  be 
the  means  of  carrying  it  out ;  for  I  knew  I  could  easily 
put  suspicion  away  from  me.  I  lured  him  cunningly 
to  that  part  of  the  house  where  he  was  found,  plunged 
the  dagger  into  his  breast,  put  into  his  pocket  the 
forged  warning  of  a  Nihilist  attack,  opened  the 
house  at  a  point  where  a  man  could  have  entered, 
fastened  to  the  dagger  the  Nihilist  watchword,  and 
then  crept  away  to  my  own  rooms." 

"  It  was  a  hellish  plot, "  I  exclaimed,  hotly. 

"  It  was  inspired  by  love  for  you,  Alexis.  It  was 
truly  '  For  Freedom's  sake.'  Freedom  that  should 
unite  us  for  ever." 

"  Do  you  think  I  could  ever  be  anything  to  a  woman 
whose  hand  is  red  with  murder  ?  "  I  cried,  in  indig- 
nant horror. 

"  It  was  done  for  you — for  love  of  you,  Alexis. " 

"  Love  has  no  kin  with  murder,"  I  exclaimed,  bit- 
terly. 

"Your  life  is   mine,   remember,"  she  answered. 


A  She  Devil 

firmly.  Her  determination  and  strength  were  inex- 
haustible. "This  makes  you  ten  thousand  times 
more  surely  mine  than  ever.  I  told  you  you  were 
the  cause — and  also,  that  you  could  be  made  to  bear 
the  brunt.  Listen!  You  know  well  enough  what 
chance  a  Nihilist  has  on  whom  the  fangs  of  suspi- 
cion have  fastened.  You  are  a  Nihilist.  Your  sister 
is  one  also.  I  know  this.  Well,  what  chance,  think 
you,  would  that  Nihilist  have  of  his  life  whose  dag- 
ger it  was  that  found  its  way  between  my  husband's 
ribs  ?  What,  then,  if  I  had  found  the  sheath  of  it  and 
secreted  it  to  save  the  man  ?  Suppose,  too,  that  I 
had  kept  back  the  discovery  because  of  my  guilty 
love  for  him  ?  And  further  that  he  had  come  at  the 
time  to  tempt  my  honour  and  that  he  was  leaving 
the  house  when  my  husband,  roused  by  the  noise  I 
made,  met  him;  and  that  I  saw  the  deed  done?" 
She  paused  and  changed  her  tone  to  one  of  fierce 
directness,  as  she  continued : — "  The  dagger  that 
killed  Christian  Tueski  is  your  own  weapon,  known 
by  its  sheath  to  a  hundred  people :  and  that  sheath, 
with  your  name  on  it,  is  in  my  possession.  What 
chance  of  life  would  there  be  for  you  and  yours  if 
these  things  were  made  known.  Now,  do  you  wish 
to  go  ?  " 

A  hot  and  passionate  reply  rose  to  my  lips,  but 
was  checked  before  uttered.  I  thought  of  Olga,  and 
I  knew  that  every  word  this  woman  said  was  true- 
that  no  power  in  Russia  could  save  my  life  or  Olga's 
liberty  if  the  tale  were  told  now. 

Delay  I  must  have  at  any  cost.  Time  in  which 
to  meet  this  woman's  horrible  cunning  and  daring 
plot.  If  I  had  hated  her  before,  she  was  now  loath- 
some ;  while  the  fears  she  had  stirred  on  Olga's  ac- 
count intensified  and  embittered  a  thousandfold  my 


174  By  Right  of  Sword 

resentment  Yet  hateful  as  the  task  was,  I  was  pre- 
pared  to  continue  my  part  with  her. 

"You  think  this  love?"  I  said,  after  a  pause  in 
which  she  had  been  waiting  breathlessly  for  me  to 
speak.  "  Do  women  love  the  men  they  hold  to  them 
by  the  tether  rope  of  threats  ?  " 

"  Do  women  kill  for  the  sake  of  men  they  do  not 
love?  " 

"  Do  you  think  to  keep  my  love  by  threatening  me 
with  death  ?  " 

"  Have  I  not  inflicted  death  to  keep  you  ?  Why 
do  you  wish  to  bandy  phrases  ?  My  deeds  speak  for 
themselves.  They  shew  you  well  enough  what  I  will 
dare  to  keep  you  true  to  me.  You  are  mine,  Alexis, 
and  no  power  shall  ever  part  us.  I  have  told  you 
this  often  before.  It  was  you  who  sought  me,  who 
proffered  me  your  love,  who  poured  on  me  your  ca- 
resses and  roused  the  love  in  me,  and  roused  it  never 
to  cease.  Do  you  think  me  a  silly,  simple  fool  to  be 
wooed  and  won  and,  when  deserted,  willing  to  do  no 
more  than  wring  my  feeble  hands  and  shed  silly 
tears,  and  prate  and  maunder  between  my  stupid 
sobs,  that  my  heart  is  broken  and  that  I  fain  would 
die — Bah !  I  am  not  of  that  sort.  I  am  a  woman  who 
can  will  and  act,  and  fashion  my  own  ends  in  my  own 
way.  It  is  not  the  stream  that  carries  me,  but  I  who 
turn  the  stream,  even  though  it  be  mingled  with  blood. 
No,  no.  If  you  play  me  false,  Alexis,  it  is  you,  and 
not  I,  who  shall  die  because  my  heart  is  broken." 

She  shewed  this  determination  in  every  line  of  her 
beautiful  face  and  movement  of  her  magnificent  fig- 
ure, as  she  stood  before  me  a  lovely,  hateful  type  of 
a  vengeful  woman.  She  changed  her  mood,  how- 
ever, with  astonishing  suddenness  *uid  turned  all  soft- 
ness and  tenderness. 


A  She  Devil  175 

"But  under  all  this  lies  my  love,"  she  said.  "It 
was  love  drove  me  to  everything.  Your  pledge,  too, 
that  made  me  feel,  as  nothing  else  could  have  done, 
the  wall  of  separation  between  us  while  he  lived ; 
and  my  love  could  not  endure  it.  Ah,  how  I  love 
you !  "  and  then  in  words  burning  with  the  fever  of 
passion,  she  spoke  of  her  love  for  me,  lingering  over 
the  terms  as  if  the  mere  utterance  of  them  were  an 
ecstatic  delight.  She  laid  all  to  the  account  of  this 
love,  and  then  went  on  to  name  her  terms — that  I 
must  marry  her. 

While  she  was  speaking,  I  was  thinking;  trying 
to  see  some  flaw  in  the  devilish  coil  she  had  spread 
round  me.  But  I  could  see  none.  Time  might  find 
a  way :  but  even  time  she  grudged,  and  did  not  mean 
to  give. 

"  But  we  can't  be  married  now  at  the  moment 
when  your  husband  is  scarcely  lying  cold  in  his 
grave,"  I  said,  aghast  at  her  cold-blooded  proposition. 
"  Every  man  and  woman  in  Moscow  would  immedi- 
ately think  we  had  murdered  him  together  in  order 
to  marry." 

"  Every  man  and  woman  will  not  know, "  she  an- 
swered calmly.  "  Do  you  think  there  is  no  such  thing 
as  a  secret  marriage  possible  in  this  Holy  Russia  of 
ours,  or  that  gold  cannot  buy  silence  here  just  as 
anywhere  else  in  the  world?  " 

"  I  know  that  a  secret  marriage  under  these  circum- 
stances would  put  the  lives  of  us  both  into  the  keep- 
ing of  anyone  who  knew  of  it,  however  well  you  paid 
them.  The  more  you  paid,  indeed,  the  more  certain 
the  inference. " 

"  I  care  nothing  for  that ;  nor  will  you  if  you  love 
me  as  you  have  often  sworn  you  do."  She  uttered 
this  with  the  energy  and  passion  which  always  were 


176  By  Right  of  Sword 

shewn  when  she  was  crossed.  But  in  this  I  was  nat« 
urally  as  resolute  as  she. 

"I  will  not  do  it,"  I  said  very  firmly.  "Under- 
stand  me.  I  will  not  do  it.  It  is  nothing  to  do 
with  love  in  any  way  at  all :  but  simply  self -protec- 
tion. It  would  be  sheer  suicide,  and  that  I  can  do 
much  more  simply  in  other  ways.  I  refuse  absolute- 
ly to  put  both  our  lives  into  the  keeping  of  any  man 
in  Russia,  however  holy  and  however  well  bribed. 
When  we  are  married,  it  must  be  openly,  in  the  light 
of  day  and  before  men's  faces ;  and  that  most  cer- 
tainly cannot  be  until  all  this  excitement  about  your 
husband's  death  has  died  down,  and  the  marriage  can 
take  place  without  causing  suspicion.  That  must 
be  at  least  six  months  hence — and  probably  a  year  or 
even  two  years." 

"I  won't  wait,"  she  cried  instantly  and  angrily. 
"  You  want  to  break  with  me.  I  am  no  fool." 

"  As  you  will.  Then  instead  of  marrying  me  you 
can  denounce  me  and  come  and  see  me  beheaded  or 
strangled.  If  you  threaten  me  much  longer,"  I  said 
bitterly,  "you  will  make  me  prefer  one  of  the  latter 
fates. " 

She  bent  close  to  me,  trying  to  read  my  thoughts. 
"  And  meanwhile  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Are  you  such  a  mad  woman  that  you  would  have 
us  placard  the  walls  of  the  city  with  our  secrets? 
Haven't  we  all  Russia  to  hoodwink  ?  Do  you  sup- 
pose your  police  agents  and  secret  agents  are  all  fools, 
to  see  nothing,  think  nothing,  infer  nothing?  It 
may  be  hard  for  us  to  be  apart,  but  what  else  is  pos- 
sible? Even  this  visit  is  foolhardiness  itself  and 
may  set  a  thousand  tongues  clacking.  Heaven 
knows,  if  ever  a  pair  of  lovers  had  need  of  caution 
we  have  now!  Have  you  dared  so  much  for  our 


A  She  Devtt  177 

marriage  only  to  toss  it  all  away  now  just  for  the 
lack  of  a  little  self-control  ?  We  must  see  very  lit- 
tle cf  one  another.  That  is  the  only  possible 
course." 

"  I'll  not  consent,"  she  cried  again,  vehemently, 
anS  broke  out  into  a  fresh  storm  of  protests  and  re- 
proaches. But  I  held  to  my  decision,  confident  that 
she  would  see  she  must  give  way. 

We  parted  without  coming  to  any  definite  deci- 
sion ;  and  I  was  glad,  because  it  spared  me  the  inflic- 
tion of  those  outward  signs  of  affection  in  which  she 
delighted  to  indulge  and  which  now  would  have  been 
more  than  ever  repulsive. 

But  the  knowledge  of  the  increased  peril  and  em- 
barrassment overwhelmed  me  with  a  feeling  of  anx- 
ious doubt  and  most  painful  and  galling  impotence. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  NEXT    NIHILIST   PLOT. 

IT  seemed  to  me  when  I  thought  over  my  intervievt 
with  Paula  Tueski,  that  the  complications  which 
surrounded  me  could  not  possibly  be  increased.  It 
was  of  course  hopeless  to  think  of  leaving  Russia 
except  by  some  stratagem,  or  in  disguise;  and  this 
would  be  all  the  more  difficult  because  Olga  must 
leave  first,  and  her  flight  would  undoubtedly  turn  at- 
tention on  me. 

A  positively  baffling  set  of  conditions  faced  me, 
therefore,  whichever  way  I  turned.  If  I  stayed  on, 
Paula  Tueski  would  insist  on  the  marriage,  and  the 
crisis  would  come  that  way.  If  I  attempted  to  go, 
she  herself  would  join  with  the  police  in  following 
me,  and  the  mere  endeavour  to  fly  would  give  just 
that  colour  to  her  story  which  would  make  all  the 
world  ready  to  believe  it. 

Again,  if  I  tried  the  remaining  alternative  of  pro- 
claiming my  identity,  I  had  so  egregiously  compro- 
mised myself  that  I  could  not  hope  to  escape  heavy 
punishment  of  some  kind;  while  it  would  certainly 
implicate  Olga  and  at  the  same  time  have  no  effect 
against  the  direct  lies  Paula  Tueski  was  ready  to 
swear. 

Above  all,  a  great  change  had  come  over  me.  I 
wished  to  live  and  keep  my  freedom.  The  old  indif- 
ference and  apathy  were  gone.  My  object  now  was 


The  Next  Nihilist  Plot  179 

to  get  both  Olga  and  myself  out  of  the  country  in 
safety;  and  thus  I  took  diametrically  opposite  views 
of  difficulties  which  a  few  days  previously — before  I 
had  made  the  discovery  of  my  love  for  Olga — would 
have  caused  me  little  more  than  a  laugh  of  amused 
perplexity. 

Baffling  as  the  puzzle  was,  however,  it  became  in- 
finitely  more  involved  and  perilous  a  few  days  later. 
Two  fresh  complications  came  to  kill  even  every  for- 
lorn hope. 

My  Nihilist  friends  were  responsible  for  the  first. 

The  belief  that  I  had  struck  down  the  Chief  of  the 
Secret  Police  and  had  done  it  in  a  manner  so  secret, 
mysterious,  and  impenetrable  that  it  staggered  the 
most  ingenious  police  spies  and  defied  the  effort  of 
the  astutest  detectives,  surrounded  me  with  a  glam- 
our of  wholly  undeserved  and  undesired  reputation. 

The  first  intimation  of  this  had  reached  me  through 
Olga,  and  was  followed  by  several  others ;  and  I  re- 
ceived clear  proof  that  I  was  now  regarded  as  a  sort 
of  leader  of  the  forlorn  hopes  of  these  wild  and  des- 
perate men.  A  man  who  could  alone  and  unaided 
achieve  what  I  was  believed  to  have  accomplished 
was  held  capable  of  the  greatest  deeds.  So  they  ap- 
peared to  argue ;  and  I  was  accordingly  picked  out 
next  for  a  task  of  infinite  danger  and  hazard  in  a  plot 
of  even  more  tremendous  consequences  than  that  of 
the  recent  murder. 

It  was  nothing  less  than  the  assassination  of  the 
Czar. 

It  was  resolved,  by  whom  and  in  what  centre  of 
the  Empire  I  never  knew,  to  follow  up  the  murder  of 
Christian  Tueski  by  the  greater  blow  and  to  strike 
this  with  the  utmost  possible  despatch :  as  a  proof  of 
the  desperate  courage  and  daring  of  the  Nihilists. 


180  By  Right  of  Sword 

I  was  chosen  to  play  one  of  the  chief  parts.  I 
had  no  option  to  refuse.  There  was  no  choice  given 
me  The  task  was  committed  to  me;  just  as  a  com- 
mand might  have  been  given  me  by  my  military  su- 
perior officer.  When  I  attempted  to  decline,  I  was 
given  to  understand  that  refusal  meant  death. 

I  was  thus  placed  in  a  position  of  cruel  difficulty, 
and  I  pondered  with  close  self-searching  what  I 
ought  to  do.  Looking  back  I  think  I  made  a  blun- 
der in  not  disclosing  all  I  knew  to  the  authorities, 
leaving  them  to  take  what  steps  they  pleased ;  but  in 
forming  my  decision  at  the  time  I  was  swayed  by  a 
number  of  considerations  most  difficult  to  weigh. 

One  of  my  chief  reasons  for  holding  my  tongue 
was  that  as  the  plot  followed  so  soon  after  the 
Tueski  murder — for  the  plans  were  all  made  within  a 
week — the  fact  that  I  knew  so  much  of  Nihilist  plots 
at  such  a  time  would  bring  both  Olga  and  myself 
under  suspicion  of  having  been  privy  to  the  former 
one.  In  such  a  case  everything  I  wished  to  win 
would  be  jeopardised.  A  single  breath  of  suspicion 
would  have  been  enough  to  sweep  us  both  into  a 
gaol ;  and  once  there,  no  one  could  say  when,  if  ever, 
we  should  come  out ;  for  the  whole  country  was  red- 
hot  against  the  Nihilists,  and  men  of  the  highest 
rank  and  wealth  were  rotting  in  gaol  side  by  side  with 
the  most  abject  and  destitute  paupers. 

I  was  also  much  concerned  as  to  my  supposed 
past.  I  knew  that  the  old  Alexis  was  gravely  com- 
promised ;  but  what  he  had  actually  done,  I  did  not 
know.  If  any  old  offences  were  raked  up  I  should 
be  certain  to  be  called  to  account  for  them  now, 
while  Olga  would  inevitably  suffer  with  me. 

For  those  reasons  I  decided  to  hold  my  tongue  and 
to  seek  my  own  means  for  causing  the  infernal 


The  Next  Nihilist  Plot  181 

scheme  to  miss  its  aim.  I  reckoned  that,  as  I  was 
to  have  a  principal  part  assigned  to  me,  I  could  by 
my  own  effort,  either  through  apparent  stupidity  or 
by  wilful  design,  wreck  the  whole  project;  and  with 
this  object  I  thought  carefully  over  every  detail  of  it 
which  was  entrusted  to  me. 

The  scheme  was  ingenious  and,  save  in  one  respect, 
simple  enough.  A  fortnight  later  the  Emperor  was 
to  pay  a  visit  to  Moscow,  and  already  preparations 
had  commenced  for  his  reception.  At  one  time  it 
was  thought  he  would  refuse  to  come  because  of  the 
Tueski  murder ;  but  with  that  unerring  accuracy  that 
always  made  me  marvel,  till  I  ascertained  the  cause, 
the  Nihilist  leaders  learnt  the  Imperial  intentions 
before  they  were  known  in  some  of  even  the  closest 
official  circles. 

What  the  Czar  decided  to  do  was  to  have  all  the 
preparations  continued  as  though  the  original  ar- 
rangements for  the  visit  were  to  be  carried  out ;  but 
at  the  last  moment  to  make  a  change  which  would 
baffle  any  plots.  He  meant  to  alter  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  train  by  which  he  would  travel :  and 
this  at  the  very  last  moment. 

The  object  of  this  was,  of  course,  to  thwart  any 
plot  that  might  be  laid  to  attack  the  train  in  which 
he  travelled,  so  that  thus  the  plotters  might  be  dis- 
covered. 

But  the  double  cunning  of  the  Nihilists  was  quite 
equal  to  this  change :  and  the  plot  was  indeed  exact- 
ly what  the  officials  had  anticipated — to  wreck  the 
train  in  which  the  Czar  travelled — and  I  think  it 
was  chosen  for  the  very  reason  of  its  apparent  obvi- 
ousness. Given  precise  information  of  the  Imperial 
movements  and  a  little  double  cunning  in  the  plans, 
it  was  likely  enough  that  the  authorities  would  be 


1 82  By  Right  of  Sword 

especially  vulnerable  in  just  that  spot  in  which  thej 
believed  they  had  most  effectively  guarded  them- 
selves. 

The  official  reasoning  was  that  if  the  train  in 
which  the  Czar  was  publicly  but  erroneously  believed 
to  be  travelling  could  pass  safely,  then  that  in  which 
His  Majesty  would  actually  be,  would  be  sure  to  get 
by  without  mishap.  The  Nihilist  plans  were  laid  in 
full  knowledge  of  the  official  theory. 

A  part  of  the  line  about  ten  miles  from  the  city 
where  the  rails  ran  in  a  dead  straight  course  over  a 
comparatively  flat  country  for  some  five  or  six  miles 
was  chosen  for  the  attack ;  and  it  was  chosen  because 
it  was  that  which  the  authorities  would  the  least  sus- 
pect, since  it  was  most  easy  to  watch  and  guard.  A 
man  standing  at  either  end  of  the  long,  fiat,  straight 
stretch  could  with  a  glass  watch,  not  only  the  line 
itself,  but  also  the  land  adjoining  the  line.  Of  all 
the  spots  the  train  would  pass  this  was  by  far  the 
unlikeliest  to  be  selected  for  any  Nihilist  attack. 

The  most  prominent  and  conspicuous  spot  of  all 
was  that,  moreover,  which  was  picked  out  for  the 
actual  attempt.  At  that  particular  point  a  shallow 
dip  in  the  fields  caused  the  line  to  be  embanked  to  a 
height  of  some  ten  or  twelve  feet ;  and  the  key  of  the 
plan  was  to  fix  levers  to  two  of  the  rails  so  that  they 
could  be  moved  at  the  very  last  moment,  just  when 
the  train  was  within  a  few  yards  of  them.  In  this 
way  the  train  would  be  turned  off  the  metals  and 
sent  over  the  embankment  into  the  field. 

The  levers,  worked  by  electric  motive  power,  were 
of  course  out  of  sight  under  the  wooden  sleepers : 
and  the  wires  were  trailed  in  tubes  down  inside  the 
embankment  and  away  through  field-drains  to  a  house 
more  than  half  a  mile  distant  from  the  line,  where 


The  Next  Nihilist  Plot  183 

the  operators  were  to  remain  until  after  the  "  acci- 
dent." 

Personally,  I  did  not  dislike  the  scheme :  because 
I  thought  I  could  see  several  ways  in  which  I  could 
prevent  any  fatal  outcome;  should  I  have  to  remain 
in  the  country  long  enough  to  compel  me  to  take 
part  in  it.  It  would  be  easy  enough  for  me  to  ap- 
pear to  lose  my  head  at  the  last  moment,  for  in- 
stance, and  so  bungle  matters  that  the  men  who  were 
to  kill  the  Emperor  would  be  in  fact  prevented  from 
approaching  him. 

But  there  was  also  in  this  a  desperate  personal  risk 
to  myself.  I  knew  that  these  men  would  be  picked 
from  among  the  most  reckless  and  daring  spirits  in 
the  Empire ;  men  suffering  under  the  grossest  per- 
sonal wrongs  as  well  as  motived  by  wild  political 
fanaticism.  To  them  the  blood  of  either  friend  or 
foe  was  as  nothing  if  it  stood  in  the  way  of  what 
their  unbalanced  minds  deemed  justice  and  right. 

It  was  thus  a  perilous  and  slippery  eminence  to 
which  I  had  been  thrust,  and  it  increased  infinitely 
the  hazard  of  my  course. 

My  thoughts  returned  to  the  idea  of  flight  with 
redoubled  incentive,  therefore;  and  a  circumstance 
occurred  which  seemed  to  promise  me  some  help  in 
this  direction. 

A  letter  came  to  me  from  "Hamylton  Tregeth- 
ner."  Olga's  brother  had  escaped,  as  we  knew,  and 
had  made  his  way  to  Paris.  He  was  going  on,  he 
said,  to  America  as  soon  as  he  had  enjoyed  himself : 
and  when  he  found  himself  in  New  York,  he  pro- 
posed to  change  his  name  and  nationality  once  more 
and  be  a  Pole. 

"I  have  not  had  many  adventures,"  he  wrote; 
*  nor  do  I  seem  to  have  met  many  men  who  know 


184  By  Right  of  Sword 

me.  But  I  had  one  encounter  that  was  rather  amus< 
ing.  I  was  at  breakfast  and  saw  a  man  staring  hard 
at  me  from  the  other  side  of  the  room.  I  thought 
he  might  be  a  friend,  and  so  I  did  not  look  at  him. 
But  he  would  not  let  his  eyes  move  from  me,  and 
when  I  left  the  table  he  followed  and  spoke  to  me. 
'  Hamylton,  old  man,  I  did  not  know  you  at  first. 
You're  looking  frightfully  ill  and  altered.  You're 
not  going  to  cut  me.'  This  gave  me  a  cue,  though  I 
did  not  understand  all  he  said,  when  he  added  some- 
thing about  *  on  account  of  somebody's  conduct. '  I 
did  cut  him,  however;  looked  him  hard  in  the  face 
and  curling  my  lip  as  if  in  profound  contempt,  I 
turned  on  my  heel.  I  had  the  curiosity  to  ask  after- 
wards who  he  was,  and  they  gave  me  his  name  as 
the  Hon.  Rupert  Balestier.  I  suppose  I  know  him, 
but  I  thought  the  best  way  was  not  to  speak.  I  did 
not  shake  him  off,  however;  for  that  night  he  saw 
me  again  just  when  I  was  speaking  English  to  some 
other  men.  I  saw  him  listening  as  if  he  could  not 
believe  his  ears ;  and  as  soon  as  I  was  alone  he  came 
up  and  asked  me  who  I  was  and  what  right  I  had  to 
masquerade  as  his  old  friend,  Hamylton  Tregethner. 
For  answer  I  gave  him  another  stare  and  got  away. 
Then  I  changed  my  hotel  and  am  going  away  from 
Paris  for  a  few  days.  I  do  not  intend  to  be  bothered 
by  the  man." 

My  first  impression  of  this  incident  was  that  it 
boded  further  danger.  I  knew  Balestier.  He  was 
a  man  of  great  resolution  and  if  he  imagined  that 
anyone  was  masquerading  in  my  name  in  Paris,  he 
would  think  nothing  of  rousing  both  the  English  and 
Russian  Embassies;  or  of  coming  on  to  Moscow 
himself  to  probe  the  thing  to  the  bottom.  He 
loved  mysteries;  was  most  active,  energetic,  and  en- 


The  Next  Nihilist  Plot  185 

terprising;  and  nothing  would  suit  him  better  than 
to  have  imported  into  his  rather  purposeless  life 
some  such  task  as  a  search  for  me  half  over  Europe. 
He  was  quite  capable,  too,  of  jumping  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  man  he  had  met  had  murdered  and  was 
personating  me;  and  in  a  belief  of  the  kind  he  was 
just  the  man  to  raise  the  hue  and  cry  in  every  police 
office  on  the  Continent. 

What  the  real  Alexis  called  "  speaking  English  " 
was  of  course  bad  enough  to  brand  him  anywhere  as 
an  impostor,  should  he  try  to  pass  himself  off  as  an 
Englishman.  Balestier  had  no  doubt  listened  in 
amazement  to  the  strange  jargon  coming  from  lips 
that  looked  like  mine ;  and  the  extraordinary  likeness 
and  "my"  peculiar  conduct  would  quite  complete 
his  perplexity. 

Probably  I  should  hear  more  of  the  matter ;  and 
this  set  me  considering  whether  I  could  not  manage 
in  some  way  to  communicate  with  Balestier  and  get 
him  to  help  in  smuggling  Olga  across  the  frontier. 
He  would  revel  in  the  work  if  I  could  only  find  him. 

I  turned  to  "  Tregethner's "  letter  therefore  to 
find  the  name  of  the  hotel,  and  to  my  infinite  annoy- 
ance the  fool  had  not  mentioned  it;  while  his  inten- 
tion to  run  away  from  Paris  and  Balestier  would  cause 
more  delay.  The  fellow  was  not  only  a  coward  but 
an  idiot  as  well ;  and  I  could  have  kicked  him  liber- 
ally, if  my  foot  would  only  have  reached  from  Mos- 
cow to  Paris. 

As  it  was,  Balestier,  with  the  best  will  in  the 
world,  would  probably  be  blundering  about  and 
plunging  me  still  deeper  into  the  mud,  when  he  not 
only  could,  but  would,  have  given  me  valuable  help 
ifal  could  have  got  at  him  to  tell  him  what  to  do. 

I  felt  like  Tantalus,  when  I  thought  of  it. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

AN  EXTRAORDINARY  ADVENTURE. 

THE  second  complication  was  a  much  bigger  matter; 
and  it  was  of  so  strange  a  description  and  fraught 
with  consequences  of  such  critical  importance  to 
Olga  and  myself  that  of  all  my  experiences  of  that 
time  it  deserves  to  be  classed  as  the  most  remark- 
able. Like  all  else  at  that  time,  it  came  quite  un- 
sought by  me,  and  as  the  direct  and  unavoidable  con- 
sequence of  the  first  step  in  my  new  life — the  duel 
with  Devinsky  and  my  subsequent  repute  as  a 
swordsman. 

A  day  or  two  after  Tueski's  funeral,  and  while  the 
city  was  still  quivering  and  staggering  under  the 
effects  of  the  supposed  Nihilist  blow,  a  great  ball 
took  place  at  the  Valniski  Palace. 

Count  Valniski  was  among  the  richest  men  in 
Moscow,  bidding  hard  for  power  and  courting  popu- 
larity right  and  left  among  all  classes.  To  this  ball 
all  the  officers  of  my  regiment  were  invited,  together 
with  many  of  their  friends.  Amongst  the  latter 
Olga  had  a  card ;  and  although  we  were  certainly  in 
a  poor  mood  for  a  function  of  the  kind,  we  felt  it  ex- 
pedient to  do  what  all  the  world  was  doing,  go  to  it ; 
lest  by  remaining  away  we  should  attract  attention 
to  ourselves. 

It  was  a  very  brilliant  affair,  as  these  big  Russian 
balls  always  are,  and  the  crowd  included  many  of 


An  Extraordinary  Adventure       187 

the  best  and  smartest  people  in  Moscow.  I  moved 
about  the  rooms,  not  dancing  much,  but  exchanging 
a  word  now  and  then  with  my  brother  officers  and 
with  other  people  who  claimed  acquaintance  with 
me. 

Olga  had  plenty  of  partners  among  my  comrades, 
and  as  she  was  dancing  with  one  of  them  I  stood 
watching  her  and  thinking  how  completely  I  had 
dropped  into  the  new  social  grooves  of  this  Moscow 
life  and  how  quickly  my  first  feelings  of  strangeness 
had  worn  off,  when  my  friend  Essaieff  came  up  to 
me. 

"  Alexis,  I  have  a  commission  that  concerns  you," 
he  said. 

"Well?" 

"  You're  in  luck.     Try  and  guess." 

"Can't,"  I  replied,  shaking  my  head.  "Unless 
the  war's  broken  out  and  I'm  to  have  a  step.  What 
is  it?" 

"There's  a  woman  in  it.  High  up,  too."  There 
were  only  two  women  in  Moscow  I  ever  thought 
about ;  and  one  of  them  I  wished  to  see  safe  out  of 
Russia,  and  the  other  at  the  devil,  or  anywhere  out 
of  my  way. 

"  Give  it  up,"  I  said,  with  a  smile. 

"It's  that  smile  of  yours  fetches  'em,  I  believe," 
said  Essaieff,  smiling  in  his  turn.  "  It  makes  your 
face  one  of  the  pleasantest  things  in  the  world  to 
look  at."  He  had  ripened  quickly  into  a  very  famil- 
iar friend  and  we  were  great  chums  now. 

"What  is  there  you  want  me  to  do,  old  man? 
You  wouldn't  waste  that  flower  of  speech  for  noth- 
ing. 

"Well,  something's  done  it.  I  have  been  asked 
to  present  you  to  one  of  the  wealthiest,  most  beauti* 


1 88  By  Right  of  Sword 

ful,  and  most  influential  women  in  Moscow — the 
Princess  Weletsky;  and  asked  in  terms  which 
seemed  to  imply  that  the  honour  of  the  introduction 
would  be  conferred  on  her." 

"  The  Princess  Weletsky,  who  is  she  ?  "  I  asked  in 
absolute  ignorance. 

"That's  just  like  you,  Alexis.  I'm  getting  to 
know  that  sweet  innocence  of  yours.  Whenever  I 
mention  a  name  that  all  Russia  knows,  you  make  the 
same  lame  show  and  ask,  Who's  he?  or,  Who's  she? 
You've  heard  of  her  a  thousand  times.  You  can't 
help  hearing  of  her.  You  couldn't  if  you  tried." 

"All  right,"  I  laughed,  to  turn  my  mistake. 
"Have  you  been  talking  about  me?"  He  laughed 
at  the  idea. 

"  Why,  man,  where  are  your  wits  ?  Do  you  think 
the  Princess  and  I  are  on  gossiping  terms?  I'm 
only  the  fly  on  the  wheel  in  this.  She  wishes  to 
know  you ;  I  do  know  you ;  she  once  sent  me  a  card 
for  one  of  her  assemblies  and  snubbed  me  in  a  high 
bred  manner;  now  she  can  use  me,  and  accordingly 
I  am  paraded  for  duty — to  introduce  you.  Come 
along  or  she'll  be  getting  some  Court  executioner  to 
cut  my  throat  for  loitering. " 

I  followed  him,  wondering  what  it  could  mean; 
and  half  a  minute  later  was  presented  to  one  o*  the 
most  lovely  and  stately  women  I  have  ever  seen. 
A  queenly  woman,  indeed,  and  I  should  have  been 
an  icicle  if  I  had  not  admired  her.  She  was  radiant- 
ly fair  in  both  hair  and  complexion,  but  her  eyes 
were  dark  and  languishing  like  a  Spaniard's :  while 
the  faultless  regularity  of  her  features  in  no  way 
marred  the  exquisite  suggestion  of  womanly  sym- 
pathy and  mental  power  which  spoke  in  her  voice 
and  manner  and  glances. 


An  Extraordinary  Adventure      189 

I  have  seen  many  lovely  women  of  all  types,  but 
in  all  my  life  none  to  compare  with  the  exquisite 
magnificence  of  this  Russian  beauty. 

Her  reception  of  me  could  not  have  been  more 
cordial,  moreover,  had  I  been  one  of  the  greatest  of 
Russia's  nobles,  or  had  she  begun  to  entertain  some 
strong  favour  for  me.  I  am  not  a  coxcomb  where 
women  are  concerned,  I  hope,  and  certainly  nothing 
in  their  treatment  of  me  in  my  life  had  led  me  to 
conceit  myself  that  such  a  woman  as  this  would  fall 
in  love  with  me ;  but  her  conduct  to  me  that  night 
might  well  have  turned  my  head,  had  it  not  been 
full  of  other  matters. 

I  asked  for  the  honour  of  a  dance  and  she  gave  me 
her  programme,  telling  me  I  might  write  my  name 
where  I  would.  As  it  was  empty,  this  seemed  a 
generous  invitation;  but  I  scribbled  my  initials 
against  two  dances,  and  was  then  going  to  move  off. 

She  glanced  at  the  programme  and  smiled.  I  can- 
not describe  the  effect  which  a  smile  produced  on 
her  face. 

"I  had  purposely  kept  the  next  dance  for  you, 
Lieutenant,"  she  said.  "  But  I  see  your  reputation 
has  somewhat  belied  you." 

"  My  reputation  ?  " 

"  Yes.  But  I  have  much  I  should  like  to  say  to 
you.  I  have  heard  of  you  often ;  as  a  daring  man 
even  among  Russia's  most  daring;  and  not  always  as 
modest  as  brave." 

"  Rumour  is  often  an  unreliable  witness,"  said  I. 

"  She  has  not  always  spoken  kindly  of  you,  Lieu- 
tenant. But  to  see  you  is  enough  to  test  the  truth 
of  her  tales."  She  accompanied  this  with  a  glance 
of  especially  subtle  flattery,  as  she  made  place  for 
me  to  sit  by  her,  and  then  drew  me  to  talk  by  ques- 


190  By  Right  of  Sword 

tioning  me,  always  giving  in  her  answer  a  suggestion 
of  keen  personal  interest  in  me. 

We  danced  that  next  dance,  and  she  declared  that 
I  waltzed  better  than  any  man  in  the  room ;  and  at 
the  close  of  the  dance  she  asked  me  to  take  her  to 
one  of  the  conservatories,  under  the  pretext  that  she 
was  heated.  We  sat  there  during  two  dances,  until 
the  first  that  I  had  initialled  came,  and  then  we 
danced  again. 

All  the  time  she  fascinated  me  with  her  manner 
and  the  infinite  subtlety  with  which  she  implied  the 
admiration  she  felt  for  my  bravery,  my  skill  as  a  sol- 
dier and  a  swordsman,  my  strength — everything  in 
short :  while  she  was  loud  in  the  expression  of  the 
interest  with  which  she  said  she  should  take  in  my 
future. 

At  the  close  of  the  dance  she  sent  me  to  fetch  my 
sister ;  and  when  I  presented  her  she  made  Olga  sit 
down  at  her  side  and  presently  sent  me  away,  saying 
that  women's  friendship  ripened  much  more  quickly 
when  they  were  alone — especially  if  they  were  in- 
terested in  the  same  man.  All  of  which  would  no 
doubt  have  been  very  sound  philosophy — had  Olga 
been  my  sister  in  reality. 

Essaieff  had  been  watching  me,  and  now  chaffed 
me  a  good  deal  about  my  conquest,  and  grew  enthu- 
siastic about  my  future. 

"By  Gad,  man,  she's  as  rich  as  a  Grand  Duke: 
and  there  is  no  limit  to  the  height  her  husband  may 
climb.  Play  your  cards  well  now:  and  you've  got 
all  the  pluck,  aye,  and  the  brains  too,  if  you  like  to 
use  them :  and  you'll  be  War  Minister  before  I  apply 
for  my  Colonelcy." 

I  laughed  lightly ;  but  I  thought  to  myself  that  if 
he  only  knew  the  skeletons  in  my  cupboard  that  were 


An  Extraordinary  Adventure      191 

gibbering  and  rattling  their  bones  in  mockery  of  me, 
he  wouldn't  tell  quite  such  an  enthusiastic  fortune 
for  me. 

When  I  went  back  for  my  next  dance  with  the 
princess,  Olga  was  just  being  led  away  by  a  hand- 
some young  partner  whom  the  Princess  had  found 
for  her. 

"  Olga  is  most  delightful,"  she  said,  with  one  of 
her  smiles.  "  She  is  worthy  of — anyone ;  and  a 
most  enthusiastic  sister.  She  is  the  most  genuine 
soul  I  ever  knew.  She  will  be  my  dear  friend,  when 
her  reserve  has  worn  off."  I  thought  I  knew  the 
cause  of  the  "reserve,"  but  I  kept  the  thought  to 
myself. 

After  the  dance  she  let  me  take  her  back  to  the 
same  place,  and  glancing  at  her  programme  let  it  fall 
on  her  lap  with  half  a  sigh. 

"  You  were  very  moderate,"  she  said,  tapping  the 
programme  with  her  fan. 

"  Do  you  know  the  fable  of  the  hungry  mouse  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "     This  with  a  glance. 

"  Only  that  a  poor  little  starveling  found  himself 
in  a  full  granary  one  day,  when  a  fairy  bade  him  eat. 
He  took  a  few  grains  and  munched  them  and  stopped. 
'  Why  stop  there,  mouse  ? '  asked  the  fairy.  The 
little  thing  glanced  about  him  and  looking  at  the 
crowd  of  fatted  pets  that  were  watching  him  suspi- 
ciously from  a  distance,  replied : — '  If  I  take  more 
than  these  gentry  think  belong  to  me,  they  will  fall 
on  me;  and  though  I  might  enjoy  the  meal  at  the 
time,  it  will  prove  a  dear  one  and  hard  to  digest.'  " 

"A  shrewd  mouse,  but  too  timorsome,"  said  the 
Princess,  laughing,  and  handing  me  her  programme 
again.  "Take  other  two  grains,  mouse.  Though 


192  By  Right  of  Sword 

I'm  not  quite  sure,  by  the  way,  whether  you  intended 
me  to  be  the  good  fairy  or  the  bag  of  grain.  Fables 
are  often  tricksy  things." 

"  And  fairies  also.  But  at  least  mice  are  harm- 
less. " 

"  Except  to  frighten  silly  women.  But  I  am  not 
afraid  of  mice — especially  when  they  are  so  moderate 
in  permitted  pilfering." 

"  The  touch  of  a  fairy's  wand  can  change  even  a 
mouse  to  a  lion,"  said  I ;  and  when  she  met  my  gaze 
she  dropped  her  eyes  and  coloured.  The  dance 
came  then  and  we  danced  it  almost  in  silence. 

After  it  I  went  to  look  for  Olga;  but  she  had 
gone  home;  and  then  I  waited  impatiently  for  my 
next  dance  with  my  most  fascinating  partner. 

There  is  no  flattery  in  the  world  half  so  telling  on 
a  man  as  a  lovely  woman's  admiration,  undisguised 
yet  not  flaunted ;  and  expressed  in  the  thousand  sub- 
tle ways  which  her  nimble  wits  can  find  when  in- 
spired by  resolve  to  please. 

I  did  not  think  that  at  such  a  time  any  woman  on 
Dearth  could  have  exercised  so  strong  an  influence  over 
tne  in  the  course  of  no  more  than  an  hour  or  two ; 
•and  when  we  sat  together  after  our  last  dance  for  a 
'few  minutes  before  she  left,  I  felt  I  would  have  done 
•almost  anything  on  earth  that  she  asked  to  serve  her. 
Something  that  she  said  drew  from  me  a  rather  ran- 
dom protestation  to  this  effect,  and  she  reddened  and 
started,  and  then  after  a  rapid  searching  glance  shot 
into  my  face,  she  sat  silent,  fingering  her  fan,  rest- 
lessly. While  doing  this  her  programme  caught  her 
attention. 

She  looked  at  it  and  held  it  so  that  I  could  read  it. 

"No  name  but  yours,"  she  said,  almost  in  a  whis- 
per. I  saw  this  was  so.  Then  she  broke  the  silken 


"  Take  another  two  grains,  mouse." 


— Page  IQI. 


An  Extraordinary  Adventure      193 

by  which  it  was  fastened  to  her  wrist,  and  with 
another  glance  at  me  put  it  away  into  her  bosom. 

It  was  a  little  action:  but  from  such  a  woman 
what  did  it  not  mean  ?  I  was  amazed. 

Another  long  pause  followed. 

Then  she  laid  her  hand  in  mine  and  looked  straight 
at  me. 

"Are  you  really  a  brave  man?"  she  asked.  I 
•seemed  to  take  fire  under  her  touch  and  look. 

"That  is  not  a  question  a  man  can  answer  for  him- 
self. Test  me." 

"  If  your  sister  were  insulted,  would  you  fight  for 
her?  "  She  little  knew  the  cord  she  had  touched,  or 
guessed  how  the  reference  cooled  me. 

"I  have  already  done  so,"  I  returned. 

"  In  days  of  old  men  fought  for  any  woman  who 
was  wronged.  Would  you  ?  " 

"I  have  done  it  before  now,"  I  answered,  still 
thinking  of  Olga,  and  my  thoughts  for  some  reason 
slipped  back  to  the  first  meeting  on  the  Moscow 
platform. 

She  paused  and  looked  away  from  me  for  a  moment 
as  if  hesitating;  and  then  leaning  so  close  to  me  that 
I  could  feel  her  warm  breath  on  my  cheek  as  she 
spoke,  while  her  grasp  tightened  on  my  arm,  she  said 
in  a  tone  of  deep  feeling : — 

"  I  have  been  wronged.  You  see  me  here  as  I  am 
and  what  I  am;  but  save  for  the  happiness  you  have 
made  me  feel  in  being  with  you,  I  am  the  most 
wretched  woman  in  all  Russia.  Will  you  help  me  ? 
Dare  you  ?  "  And  she  seemed  to  hang  on  my  words 
as  she  waited  for  my  reply,  her  eyes  searching  mine 
as  if  to  read  my  answer  there. 

I  was  about  to  reply  with  a  pledge  inspired  by  the 
enthusiasm  with  which  she  had  fired  me,  when  my 


194  %  Right  of  Sword 

instinctive  caution  restrained  me.  She  was  quick 
to  see  my  moment's  hesitation  and  not  willing  to 
risk  a  refusal,  she  added  hastily : — 

"We  cannot  talk  of  this  here.  I  ought  not  to 
have  spoken  of  it  now :  but  you  seem  to  have  drawn 
my  very  soul  from  me.  Come  to  me  to-morrow  to 
my  house.  I  will  be  alone  at  three.  You  will  come 
• — my  friend?"  An  indescribable  solicitude  spoke 
through  her  last  two  words,  all  suggestive  of  infinite 
trust  in  me. 

"  Certainly,"  I  cried.  "  And  certainly  your  friend, 
if  I  dare." 

She  answered  with  a  glance ;  and  then  seemed  to 
cast  aside  her  excitement.  Rising  she  let  me  lead 
her  back  to  the  ball-room. 

When  I  left  her  there  were  others  round  us,  but 
as  she  bowed  I  caught  a  glance  and  the  whispered 
words : — 

"  I  trust  you." 

I  turned  away  half  bewildered,  and  went  home  at 
once,  pondering  what  was  to  be  the  upshot  of  this 
new  development 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 

THE    REASON   OF   THE   INTRIGUE. 

WHEN  I  was  alone  and  the  strange  charm  of  the 
Princess  Weletsky's  presence  had  given  way  to  calm 
reflection,  my  doubts  began  to  grow.  I  was  naturally 
a  cautious  man  under  ordinary  circumstances;  and 
now  my  suspicions  were  the  keener  because  my  cau- 
tion had  been  momentarily  lulled  to  sleep. 

I  was  all  inclined  to  disbelieve  the  story  which  the 
Princess  had  told,  or  rather  had  suggested ;  and  I  be- 
gan to  look  behind  all  she  had  said  for  some  motive 
or  intrigue.  I  thought  she  might  wish  for  the  help 
of  my  sword  for  some  altogether  different  purpose 
than  she  had  suggested :  but  I  could  think  of  nothing. 
Nor  could  Olga,  with  whom  I  spoke  very  freely  on 
the  subject. 

She  said  she  could  see  no  more  than  appeared  on 
the  surface ;  and  what  that  was  it  was  superfluous  to 
ask ;  especially  when  she  told  me  that  the  Princess 
could,  or  would  talk  of  nothing  else  to  her  but  my 
bravery,  my  good  looks,  my  courtesy,  my  chivalry, 
and  so  on  at  great  length. 

"  It  is  agreeable  to  have  my  brother  praised,"  said 
Olga  once,  laughing.  "  But  there  are  limits." 

During  the  next  four  or  five  days  Olga  had  ample 
opportunities  of  hearing  these  praises,  moreover,  as 
the  Princess  would  scarcely  let  her  out  of  her  sight. 
When  I  called  on  the  day  following  the  ball  I  found 


196  By  Right  of  Sword 

the  two  together,  and  the  Princess  in  a  few  words  we 
had  together  out  of  my  sister's  hearing  would  say 
nothing  at  all  about  the  subject  of  her  wrongs.  She 
enlarged  on  the  suggestion  of  the  previous  night  that 
she  had  been  led  by  her  impulses  and  her  instinctive 
trust  in  me  to  speak  too  fully. 

For  some  days  she  maintained  the  same  attitude  of 
reserve,  and  then  quite  suddenly  when  we  were  alone, 
she  changed  again,  and  in  words  which  I  could  not 
fail  to  understand  she  let  me  know  indirectly  that  if 
I  would  avenge  her  wrongs,  her  hand  would  be  my 
reward. 

I  have  never  in  my  life  had  to  face  a  more  awk- 
ward crisis  than  that.  What  reply  she  expected  I 
cannot  tell :  whether  she  looked  for  some  eager  pas- 
sionate protestations  of  love,  or  some  strong  pledge 
of  defence,  or  what.  Whether  she  really  cared  for 
me  and  the  confusion  she  shewed  was  the  sign  oC  it, 
or  whether  the  whole  part  was  assumed  and  every- 
thing mere  acting,  I  cannot  say.  But  I  know  that  I 
on  my  part  felt  indescribably  embarrassed  and  scarce- 
ly knew  how  to  answer  her. 

I  knew,  too,  the  danger  to  Olga  and  myself  of 
offending  a  woman  so  highly  placed,  so  influential, 
and  powerful  as  the  Princess.  We  had  enough 
troubles  as  it  was :  and  if  they  were  to  be  multiplied 
and  aggravated  in  this  way,  we  should  be  over- 
whelmed. It  was  certain  that  I  must  find  some  way 
of  temporising. 

"  Princess,  I  am  your  devoted  servant  to  do  with 
as  you  will,"  I  answered.  "  And  if  my  sword  can  be 
of  service,  tell  me  how."  She  started  and  flushed 
with  pleasure  as  I  said  this. 

"  I  knew  I  should  not  count  on  you  in  vain.  The 
Grand  Duke  Servanieff  will  now  learn  that 


The  Reason  of  the  Intrigue       197 

stalwart  arm  than  his  protects  me  from  his  insults. " 
Her  eyes  seemed  to  glitter  as  she  watched  the  effect 
of  this  name  on  me. 

"  Do  you  mean  that  that  is  the  man  you  wish  me 
to  fight?  "  I  cried  in  the  deepest  astonishment.  He 
was  all  but  on  the  very  steps  of  the  Throne,  and  if  I 
had  approached  him  he  would  have  brushed  me  away 
into  a  gaol  with  no  more  concern  or  difficulty  than 
he  would  have  whisked  a  fly  off  his  hand. 

The  woman  was  mad. 

"He  persists  in  forcing  his  attentions  on  me,  and 
I  will  not  have  them,"  she  said. 

All  my  suspicions  had  been  stung  into  activity  by 
the  mention  of  the  name  of  the  Grand  Duke ;  and  as 
I  looked  at  the  Princess  she  appeared  to  be  watching 
me  with  quite  suspicious  vigilance  as  she  added : — 
"  He  cannot  refuse  to  meet  anyone  to  whom  I  give 
the  right  to  protect  me  from  him." 

It  was  an  intrigue.  I  was  sure  of  it;  and  this 
lovely  woman  was  making  me  her  tool. 

I  answered  guardedly. 

"  A  lieutenant  in  a  marching  regiment  who  should 
presume  to  challenge  that  man  would  stand  a  better 
chance  of  being  whipped  at  the  cart's  tail  than  of 
meeting  him." 

"  He  is  a  great  swordsman,  I  know,"  she  said,  as 
if  to  pour  suspicion  on  my  courage.  But  I  was  not 
a  fool  to  be  tripped  by  a  gibe.  If  I  had  wished  to 
marry  the  woman  I  would  have  consented  readily 
enough  there  and  then,  and  risked  all ;  but  my  object 
was  to  get  out  of  Russia  and  to  get  Olga  out  with 
me. 

"I  should  not  fear  him  were  he  twice  as  skilful; 
but  this  is  no  mere  matter  of  sword  fence." 

"Easy  words,  Lieutenant." 


198  By  Right  of  Sword 

"I  will  make  them  good,  Princess,"  replied  I, 
quietly.  "  But  I  must  first  see  the  course  clearer  for 
the  meeting.  What  say  your  friends?  Can  I  de- 
pend on  their  influence  ?  " 

"Won't  you  do  this  for  me,  then?  Am  I  mis- 
taken in  you  ?  "  There  was  a  sharp  accent  of  irrita- 
tion in  her  tone  that  I  noticed  now. 

"  Princess,  it  does  not  best  become  a  beautiful 
woman  to  doubt  a  man's  courage  until  he  is  proved 
a  craven.  Here  is  no  matter  of  personal  courage 
only ;  but  I  should  be  loosing  upon  me  all  the  waters 
of  bitterest  political  intrigue.  Alone  I  should  be 
absolutely  powerless  to  stem  the  torrents  that  would 
sweep  me  to  certain  ruin.  Alone,  therefore,  I  cannot 
do  what  you  ask.  But,  understand  me,  give  me  the 
powerful  support  of  your  family,  and  I  will  meet  the 
man,  were  he  fifty  times  the  Highness  that  he  is — if 
we  can  arrange  the  meeting." 

She  seemed  disappointed  at  this ;  quite  unreason- 
ably so ;  and  tried  to  move  me.  But  I  stood  firm, 
and  then  with  evident  reluctance,  she  told  me  her 
brother  was  with  her  in  the  matter,  and  that  if  I 
would  see  him  all  would  be  simple. 

"  My  brother,  Prince  Bilbassoff,  is,  as  you  know, 
Minister  of  the  Interior,  and  is  now  in  Moscow  in 
connection  with  the  visit  of  the  Emperor."  I  had 
not  known  who  her  brother  was;  but  when  she  gave 
me  the  name  and  told  me  where  I  could  see  him,  a 
rapid  conclusion  leapt  into  my  thoughts. 

Prince  Bilbassoff  was  the  real  power  behind  the 
Police,  and  I  was  probably  going  to  find  now  why 
Christian  Tueski  had  had  to  hold  his  hand  against  me. 

I  went  at  once  to  see  him. 

I  found  him  the  very  opposite  of  the  popular  ideal 
of  a  bureaucrat — a  short,  grey,  close-haired,  spare 


The  Reason  of  the  Intrigue       199 

man,  with  the  air  of  a  man  of  the  world,  and  a  pleas- 
ant cheery  manner  that  suggested  nothing  formidabla 
or  even  powerful.  Yet  without  doubt  the  man  was 
in  many  respects  the  most  powerful  and  the  most 
feared  in  all  Russia. 

He  appeared  to  be  expecting  me;  for  the  instant 
I  was  announced,  he  got  up  and  welcomed  me  with  a 
hearty  shake  of  the  hand  and  said : — 

"  I  thought  my  sister  would  have  to  make  us  ac- 
quainted, Lieutenant  Petrovitch.  She  said  she 
wouldn't ;  but  I  expected  you.  Women  think  beauty 
will  do  everything;  and  somehow  are  always  calcu- 
lating without  the  effects  of  self-interest.  Don't 
you  think  so  ?  "  He  spoke  with  a  sort  of  easy  club 
mannerism,  and  just  let  his  eyes  rest  a  moment  on  my 
face. 

"  Of  course  you  know  the  drift  of  what  has  passed, 
then?" 

"  Of  course  I  do.  As  well  as  I  know  that  your 
coming  to  me  means  that  my  sister's  method  has 
failed.  I  from  the  first  disagreed  with  it.  I  know 
a  great  deal  about  you,  Lieutenant  Petrovitch ;  and  I 
think  I  could  have  saved  time.  But  my  sister  was 
attracted  to  you — women  always  like  you  handsome 
young  fire-eaters,  especially  women  like  my  sister — 
and  as  she  is  to  take  a  rather  large  hand  in  the  mat- 
ter, she  wanted  to  play  it  her  own  way.  She  ap- 
pealed to  your  feelings,  Lieutenant.  I  should  have 
gone  straight  to  your  interest :  and  really  it  will  be 
to  your  interest  to  do  this." 

"  Will  you  tell  me  plainly  what  is  wanted  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  The  death  of  the  man  whose  name 
has  no  doubt  been  mentioned  to  you." 

"Why?" 

0  Not  because  he  has  insulted  my  sister :  though 


2oo  By  Right  of  Sword 

that  is  fortunately  a  plausible  pretext :  but  because 
he  is  a  menace  to  th^  Empire." 

His  bluntness  astounded  me. 

"  Do  you  take  me  for  an  assassin  ?  " 

"  No.  I  take  you  for  a  very  resolute  young  man, 
with  a  great  skill  of  fence,  a  large  desire  to  push 
your  fortunes  high,  and  not  too  much  scruple  to  act 
like  a  sword  scabbard  between  your  legs  and  trip  you 
up.  If  you  weren't  that,  you'd  be  no  use  to  me.  As 
you  are,  I  open  before  you  a  career  such  as  lies  be- 
fore no  other  man  in  the  Emperor's  wide  dominions 
at  the  present  moment.  Do  this,  and  you  win  a 
woman  as  rich  and  beautiful  and,  as  women  go,  as 
good  as  any  in  Russia  for  a  wife ;  and  you  can  ask 
and  have  almost  what  place  you  like,  either  in  or  out 
of  the  army." 

"  And  if  I  refuse  ?  " 

He  laughed  and  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"You  won't  refuse,"  he  said,  shaking  his  head. 
"  If  you  do,  you  will  be  a  young  fool — too  foolish  to 
be  trusted  at  large." 

I  knew  what  he  meant;  and  when  I  looked  at  him 
next,  I  understood  why  men  feared  him.  That  laugh 
of  his  would  usher  a  man  to  knout  or  the  gallows. 

I  thought  rapidly. 

"  I  like  the  project,"  I  replied.  "  But  can  you 
arrange  the  meeting? " 

He  was  as  quick  as  the  devil,  and  detected  the 
false  note  in  my  voice. 

"  Lieutenant,  there  are  two  courses  open  to  you," 
he  said  in  a  tone  so  sharp,  stern  and  ringing  that  the 
change  surprised  me.  "You  can  accept  or  refuse 
the  offer — but  don't  try  to  fool  me. " 

"Well,  then,  I'm  not  a  murderer,"  I  rapped  out, 
angered  by  his  words. 


The  Reason  of  the  Intrigue       201 

"  That's  better,"  he  said,  with  a  return  to  his  light 
clubbish  manner.  "But  this  is  no  murder.  The 
man  is  a  traitor :  and  no  juster  act  could  be  com- 
passed than  his  death." 

"  Then  why  not  do  it  openly  ?  " 

He  smiled  and  threw  up  his  hands. 

"Is  justice  always  done  openly?  Of  course  we 
might  do  that :  but  he  would  laugh  at  our  efforts. 
We  might  get  him  assassinated ;  but  he  is  too  power- 
ful and  the  noise  of  the  act  would  defeat  the  very 
object  we  have.  He  is  a  swordsman  worthy  of  your 
skill.  He  has  insulted,  and  will  again  insult  my  sis- 
ter, your  betrothed — for  what  is  not  an  insult  when 
you  wish  to  make  it  one  ? — and  he  would  delight  to 
meet  you.  He  will  think  he  can  kill  you.  Perhaps 
he  can :  may  be,  probably ;  for  he  is  a  very  devil 
with  the  weapon.  That  is  your  risk.  Will  you  take 
it  ?  It's  no  light  one.  But  you  are  a  young  fellow 
with  all  to  gain  in  winning  and  nothing  to  lose  but 
your  life.  You  will  do  it,  I  know.  I'm  only  sur- 
prised you  hesitate." 

I  sat  thinking :  but  not  in  the  groove  he  guessed. 

"  We'll  make  your  sister's  fortune  as  well, "  he  said, 
raising  the  terms.  "  She  shall  make  a  marriage  into 
one  of  the  best  families  in  Russia,  and  found  a 
family  of  the  highest  distinction.  Think,  Lieuten- 
ant." 

I  was  thinking  about  it  as  hard  as  I  could :  but  no 
opening  offered  itself. 

"  I  must  have  time  to  determine,"  I  said.  "  It 
seems  to  me  that  I  run  the  chance  of  playing  the 
cat's  paw  with  all  the  flame  for  my  share.  What 
guarantee  have  I  that  if  I  do  this  and  am  successful 
I  shall  not  then  be  deemed — too  foolish  to  be  trusted 
at  large,  as  you  say  ?  " 


202  By  Right  of  Sword 

"First,  my  honour;  secondly,  your  betrothal  to 
my  sister;  and  thirdly,  her  feeling  for  yourself." 

"  And  if  I  refuse,  Siberia,  I  suppose  ?  " 

*'  No,  not  so  far  as  that,"  he  replied,  lightly. 

"  But  what  if  I  feign  to  consent  and  carry  the  story 
to  the  man  you  threaten  ?  " 

"  There  is  that  chance,  of  course.  But  in  the  first 
place  he  would  not  believe  you,  Lieutenant ;  and  in 
the  second,  if  he  did,  neither  you  nor  he  could  do 
any  harm ;  and  in  the  third,  you  would  have  me  for 
an  enemy.  And  I  am  pleasanter  and  safer  as  a 
friend.  I  have  discounted  that  risk,  and  it  is  noth- 
ing." 

"  How  long  will  you  give  me  to  decide  ?  " 

"  A  week.  We  can  then  announce  the  betrothal 
just  before  the  Emperor's  visit  here,  and  gain  the 
Imperial  blessing  on  so  righteous  a  marriage  between 
a  brave  man  and  a  beautiful  woman,  each  motived  by 
the  highest  patriotic  feelings  for  Russia." 

With  this  half  sneer  ringing  in  my  ears,  he  sent 
me  away. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


I  WENT  home  in  a  very  unenviable  frame  of  mind, 
and  my  temper  was  not  improved  by  my  meeting  my 
old  opponent,  Devinsky,  near  my  rooms. 

For  the  moment  I  was  powerless  to  think  of  any 
possible  means  of  relief.  My  helplessness  was  so 
complete  as  to  be  almost  ludicrous :  and  if  it  had  not 
been  for  Olga,  I  would  have  just  let  myself  be 
dragged  along  by  the  singular  chain  of  events  which 
had  coiled  themselves  round  me.  I  must  rouse  my- 
self to  some  sort  of  effort  for  her  sake.  I  saw  that, 
of  course.  But  the  result  of  a  couple  of  hours' 
thinking  was  only  to  increase  my  utter  perplexity; 
and  I  went  off  to  bed  to  try  if  sleep  would  clear  my 
wits. 

I  resolved  to  see  Olga  the  next  day  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible after  my  regimental  duties  were  over.  There 
was  but  one  thing  possible.  She  must  go  at  once 
and  we  must  try  to  hit  on  some  plan  by  which  she 
could  escape  at  any  hazard.  But  my  regimental 
work  was  heavier  than  usual,  and  when  it  was  over  a 
meeting  of  the  officers  was  called  in  reference  to  the 
impending  visit  of  the  Czar  to  Moscow.  It  was 
thus  late  in  the  afternoon  before  I  could  get  to  Olga. 

At  the  house,  astounding  news  awaited  me. 

The  Countess  Palitzin  met  me  with  the  question 
where  Olga  was.  I  looked  at  her  in  astonishment ; 
and  then  she  told  me  a  message  had  come  from  me 


204  By  Right  of  Sword 

early  in  the  forenoon,  asking  Olga  to  go  round  at 
once  to  my  rooms.  She  had  gone,  promising  to  re- 
turn soon  or  send  word.  She  had  done  neither; 
and  a  six  hours'  absence  had  made  the  old  lady 
anxious. 

"  She  should  have  been  back  before  this,"  I  said, 
quietly,  not  wishing  to  add  to  her  alarm.  "  Who  do 
you  say  came  for  her?  " 

"  Your  servant,  Borlas,  Olga  told  me. " 

I  tried  to  reassure  her  that  all  was  right,  though  I 
did  not  at  all  like  the  looks  of  things,  and  I  hurried 
back  to  my  rooms  to  question  Borlas.  He  had  not 
been  there  on  my  return  from  barracks,  and  he  was 
not  there  now ;  and  there  was  nothing  to  shew  that 
he  had  not  been  absent  for  some  hours. 

Did  this  mean  treachery  ?  Or  had  Olga  been  ar- 
rested ?  Could  she  be  in  the  hands  of  the  Nihilists  ? 
Or  what  ?  A  thousand  wild  thoughts  flashed  through 
my  mind  as  I  stood  for  a  minute  thinking  what  I 
ought  to  do  first,  and  where  to  look  for  her. 

Then  I  recalled  my  meeting  with  Devinsky  near 
my  rooms. 

I  dashed  out  and  ran  to  Essaieff's  rooms  to  find  all 
he  knew  about  Borlas,  as  he  had  recommended  the 
man  to  me ;  and  to  learn  whether  he  would  be  likely 
to  be  bribed  to  do  such  an  act  of  treachery  as  now 
seemed  possible.  But  my  friend  was  out.  Leaving 
word  for  him  to  come  at  once  to  me  I  went  on  to 
Madame  Tueski  and  questioned  her.  She  equivo- 
cated, suggesting  that  I  was  feeling  her  power;  and 
with  the  utmost  difficulty  I  drew  from  her  that  de- 
spite  all  her  hints  she  knew  nothing. 

I  ran  then  to  the  Prince  Bilbassoff ;  but  he  was 
away.  I  hurried  next  to  the  Princess;  she  knew 
nothing,  but  was  full  of  sympathy  and  offers  of  help. 


Olga's  Abduction  205 

I  wanted  news,  however,  not  offers  of  help ;  and  I 
rushed  back  to  my  rooms,  on  my  way  to  the  police, 
on  the  off-chance  that  Borlas  had  returned. 

He  had  not :  but  in  his  place  there  was  something 
much  more  important.  A  rough,  wild  looking  coun- 
tryman was  standing  at  my  door,  holding  the  bridle 
of  a  shaggy  pony  that  bore  signs  of  heavy  travelling ; 
and  the  man  had  been  trying  vainly  to  get  into  my 
house.  He  addressed  me,  asking  where  he  could 
find  Lieutenant  Petrovitch ;  and  then  gave  me  a  slip 
of  paper  from  Olga. 

"  Am  suspicious  and  sending  this  back.  If  anything 
wrong  follow  me.  O. ' ' 

I  then  questioned  the  man  closely  and  he  said  that 
his  wife  was  called  to  the  window  of  a  carriage  to  a 
young  lady  who  was  ill.  When  she  had  recovered, 
she  gave  his  wife  a  handkerchief.  In  it  was  the 
message  and  a  sum  of  money  and  a  request  that  it — • 
the  paper — should  be  brought  to  me  at  once.  This 
had  occurred  at  Praxoff,  about  ten  miles  out  on  the 
north  road. 

In  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  I  was  armed  and 
mounted ;  and  a  few  minutes  saw  me  free  of  the  city 
and  flying  at  full  gallop  in  pursuit.  I  knew  the 
road  well  enough,  owing  to  my  long  residence  as  a 
boy  in  Moscow;  and  I  now  put  my  horse  to  its  ut- 
most speed  and  made  straight  for  the  house  where 
Olga  had  seen  the  peasant  woman. 

I  found  it  without  the  least  difficulty  and  got  a 
description  of  the  carriage,  horses,  and  postilion;  and 
I  questioned  the  woman  as  to  every  word  Olga  had 
said  to  her  and  who  was  in  the  carriage.  From  what 
she  said,  I  judged  it  was  Borlas,  and  that  the  two 
were  alone. 

I  stayed  no  longer  than  was  necessary  to  hear  all 


206  By  Right  of  Sword 

the  woman  had  to  say,  and  then  I  rode*  *  still  at  full 
speed,  asking  right  and  left  as  I  went  for  tidings  of 
the  carriage.  The  trail  was  broad  enough  for  any- 
one to  follow  for  some  miles  and  fcher?  I  came  upon 
information  that  gave  me  a  complete  clue  f-0  the 
whole  matter. 

Reining  up  at  a  wayside  inn,  I  put  the  usual 
questions ;  adding  that  the  iady  was  my  sister  and 
that  I  was  an  officer  in  the  Moscow  Infantry  Regi- 
ment. The  landlord  carn.e  to  me  instantly. 

"  You  are  Lieutenant  Petrovitch  ?  "  he  asked 

"  Yes,"  and  I  told  him  my  errand. 

"  Have  you  been  engaged  in  a  duel  this  morning  ?  " 

I  stared  at  the  man  and  asked  hire  what  he  meant. 
His  answer  shewed  what  story  had  been  concocted 
to  trick  Olga. 

'  A  gentleman  engaged  two  TOCK.J  here  this  morn- 
ing, saying  they  would  be  wanted  in  connection  with 
a  duel  in  the  neighbourhood.  One  of  the  combat- 
ants was  Lieutenant  Petrovitch ;  and  the  latter 's 
sister  was  coming  to  be  near  at  hand  in  case  of  her 
brother  being  hurt.  She  was  coming  out  with  the 
brother's  servant  and  when  she  arrived  was  to  be 
shewn  at  once  to  the  room  engaged  for  her.  As  a 
fact  the  duel  had  already  been  fought  in  the  early 
hours:  Lieutenant  Petrovitch  had  been  badly 
wounded  and  lay  at  a  private  house  a  few  miles 
further  on,  too  ill  to  be  moved.  The  sister  was  to 
be  told  this;  the  news  being  broken  gradually;  and 
she  was  not  to  be  allowed  to  leave  the  inn,  unless 
she  insisted  very  much,  in  which  case  the  servant 
would  know  where  to  take  her;  and  fresh  horses 
were  to  be  supplied.  I  told  her  gently,"  continued 
the  landlord;  "and  she  insisted  on  going  on  at  once 
without  even  stopping  for  food.  *«resh  horses  wer* 


Olga's  Abduction  207 

put  in  accordingly,  and  the  carriage  proceeded  with 
less  than  half  an  hour's  halt  here,  all  told." 

I  saw  the  ruse  in  a  moment.  It  was  to  get  fresh 
horses  without  Olga  being  suspicious ;  and  to  draw 
in  the  landlord  so  as  to  appear  to  give  the  story  cor- 
roboration. 

"  What  was  the  man  like  who  came  to  you  ? "  I 
asked  impatiently,  ordering  a  horse  to  be  saddled 
instantly.  In  reply  the  landlord  described  Devinsky 
accurately. 

I  saw  it  all  now ;  and  when  the  man  had  given  me 
a  valuable  clue  to  the  road  which  the  carriage  had 
taken — it  had  been  met  by  some  returning  postboys 
— I  set  off  again  in  pursuit  in  the  now  gathering 
dusk,  as  fast  as  I  could  make  the  new  horse  move. 

I  rode  on  till  the  dark  fell :  and  still  on  till  the 
moon  rose  and  flooded  the  land  with  her  thin  light; 
and  it  was  not  until  ten  at  night  that  I  reached  the 
end  of  my  journey.  Some  peasants  gave  me  the 
final  clue.  They  had  met  the  carriage  and  a  question 
had  been  asked  of  them  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  a 
certain  house.  They  told  me  now  where  this  was, 
and  a  few  minutes  later  I  reached  the  place. 

It  was  an  old  ramshackle  house,  once  the  seat  of  a 
family  of  good  position  but  now  fallen  upon  evil 
days.  It  made  three  sides  of  a  square  and  the  court- 
yard in  the  middle  was  all  weed-grown,  moss-covered 
and  uneven,  with  one  large  yew  tree  standing  dark 
and  gloomy  in  the  centre.  The  main  entrance  was  > 
in  the  middle  portion;  and  there  were  two  small 
gothic  arched  doors  in  the  wings.  But  these  seemed 
very  stout  as  I  examined  them ;  and  all  the  windows 
were  latticed  with  stout  ironwork. 

Just  the  spot  for  such  a  venture  as  this,  I  thought, 
as  I  stole  about  the  place  to  reconnoitre,  treading 


208  By  Right  of  Sword 


softly,  and  keeping  as  much  as  possible  in  the  dark 
shadows  which  the  walls  made. 

There  was  not  a  sound  to  be  heard,  nor  a  light  to 
be  seen ;  while  the  look  of  the  place  made  it  certain 
that  I  should  have  a  hard  task  to  force  my  way  inside. 
The  same  unpromising  look  of  things  met  me  when 
I  left  the  front  and  crept  round  to  the  back  and  when 
I  had  seen  all  round  the  house  I  could  not  make  up 
my  mind  what  was  the  best  thing  to  do. 

There  are  times,  however,  when  any  kind  of  action 
is  better  than  doing  nothing.  There  was  everything 
to  be  gained  and  nothing  to  be  lost  by  Devinsky 
learning  that  I  had  followed  him  and  knew  his  hid- 
ing-place. I  resolved  on  a  pretty  bold  course,  there- 
fore, and  drawing  my  revolver  I  stepped  out  into  the 
full  moonlight  and  walked  quickly  to  the  main  en- 
trance. 

I  had  reached  to  within  ten  yards  of  the  door  when 
a  voice  called  to  me : — 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  What  do  you  want  ?  Stop, 
or  I  fire." 

Looking  up  I  saw  the  gleam  of  a  rifle  barrel  lev- 
elled dead  at  me.  I  did  not  stop  to  answer  but 
leaping  aside,  I  darted  forward  into  the  doorway, 
where  the  man  could  not  cover  me  with  his  weapon, 
because  of  a  shallow  porch  which  intervened  to  pro- 
tect me. 

The  incident  shewed  me  the  sort  of  welcome  I  was 
to  expect. 

There  was  an  old  and  heavy  knocker  on  the  door, 
and  a  huge  bell-pull.  I  seized  both  these  and  set  up 
first  a  knocking  that  might  have  roused  the  dead  and 
then  a  clanging  of  the  bell  equally  furious  and  din- 
ning. Presently  the  bell  ceased  to  sound  and  I 
gathered  either  that  someone  within  had  cut  tha 


I  darted  forward  into  the  doorway. 


—Page  208. 


Olga's  Abduction  209 

vrires  or  that  I  had  broken  them  in  my  energy.  The 
great  knocker  suited  me  equally  well,  however — . 
perhaps  better,  as  the  noise  rang  out  on  the  still 
night  air,  making  a  fearful  din — and  if  there  did 
chance  to  be  anyone  within  half  a  mile  of  the  place 
they  would  hear  it  and  might  hasten  to  learn  the 
cause. 

Those  inside  took  the  same  view  of  the  matter, 
apparently;  for  suddenly  and  without  my  knowing 
the  cause,  I  found  the  big  heavy  door  give  way  be- 
fore one  of  my  lusty  attacks  with  the  knocker;  and 
as  I  pushed,  it  swung  slowly  open. 

Everything  within  was  as  dark  as  pitch ;  and  the 
contrast  between  the  row  I  had  been  making  and  the 
dead  silence  that  followed  was  so  profound  as  to 
make  me  stand  a  minute  that  my  ears  should  get  ac- 
customed to  the  change. 

Then  drawing  my  sword  and  holding  my  revolver 
in  my  left  hand,  I  stepped  in  and  tried  to  peer  about 
me. 

The  light  of  the  moon  gave  a  faint  reflection  with- 
in, but  not  enough  for  me  to  be  able  to  make  out 
anything  distinctly;  nor,  when  I  strained  my  ears, 
could  I  detect  the  slightest  sound  anywhere. 

My  first  thought  was  that  as  I  stood  in  the  door- 
way, I  should  be  an  excellent  mark  for  anyone  car- 
ing to  shoot,  and  I  slipped  aside,  therefore,  into  the 
heavy  shadow  of  the  big  door.  It  was  full  five  min- 
utes before  my  eyes,  keen  as  they  are,  could  distin- 
guish anything ;  and  then  I  seemed  to  make  out  two 
doorways,  one  on  each  side  of  a  large  hall  into  which 
the  big  door  opened,  and  beyond  them  in  the  middle 
a  broad  stairway. 

I  groped  my  way  warily  a  few  steps,  feeling  along 
the  wall,  when  I  stopped  and  began  to  reflect  that 
M 


2i o  By  Right  of  Sword 

I  was  making  a  fool  of  myself  in  attempting  single, 
handed  and  in  pitch  darkness  to  find  my  way  about 
the  place.  I  must  wait  for  a  light  of  some  sort.  I 
had  no  idea  how  many  men  there  might  be  in  the 
house.  I  did  not  know  a  square  foot  of  the  plans. 
While  I  was  blundering  about  in  the  dark  I  should 
be  an  easy  prey  for  men  whom  I  could  as  easily  fight 
in  the  daylight.  Moreover  I  argued  that  the  knowl- 
edge that  I  had  tracked  him  would  keep  Devinsky 
from  attempting  any  devilment  as  yet. 

I  was  in  the  house;  and  I  resolved  therefore  to 
wait  patiently  where  I  was  in  the  hall  until  I  had 
light  enough  to  guide  me  in  my  search  for  Olga. 

But  I  could  not  keep  to  the  resolution. 

Scarcely  had  I  formed  the  plan  when  the  stillness 
was  broken  by  a  woman's  scream,  shrill  and  piercing, 
and  a  cry  for  help  that  made  my  heart  leap  into  my 
throat  with  wrath  as  I  thought  I  could  recognise 
Olga's  voice. 

Without  another  moment's  hesitation,  and  uttering 
a  loud  shout  in  reply,  I  dashed  fonvard  to  where  I 
could  see  the  outline  of  the  stairway,  and  rushed  up 
in  the  direction  of  the  cries  for  help. 

Idiot  that  I  was.  Of  course  I  rushed  straight  into 
the  trap  that  had  been  laid  for  me.  As  I  reached 
the  top  and  turned  to  dart  along  a  corridor,  my  feet 
were  tripped  and  I  fell  sprawling  headlong  with  a 
clatter  and  a  dozen  oaths  to  the  ground,  my  sword 
flying  one  way  and  my  revolver  another ;  and  before 
I  could  help  myself  three  or  four  fellows  were  upon 
me,  and  though  I  fought  and  struggled  with  them 
and  nearly  choked  one  to  whose  throat  I  fastened  my 
grip,  I  was  overpowered  and  bound  securely  hand  and 
foot.  Then  I  was  blindfolded  and  gagged,  and  in 
this  absolutely  helpless  state,  carried  down  the  stairs 


Olga*s  Abduction  211 

again,  getting  on  the  way  two  or  three  hearty  kicks 
from  the  men  I  had  pummelled.  They  threw  me 
down  on  the  floor  of  an  empty  room  and  left  me. 

I  cursed  my  folly  bitterly  when  I  heard  the  fel- 
lows' footsteps  as  they  left  the  room  and  locked  the 
door  behind  them.  I  had  spoilt  all  for  the  lack  of  a 
little  caution.  I  was  an  idiot,  a  fool,  a  numskull,  a 
jackass,  to  have  been  caught  by  a  trick  which  a  child 
might  have  anticipated ;  and  I  rolled  about  the  floor, 
cursing  myself  and  tearing  and  pulling  at  my  bonds  in 
my  passion,  till  I  had  torn  the  flesh  in  a  dozen  places. 
But  I  could  not  loosen  a  single  strand  of  all  the  cords 
that  bound  me ;  and  I  gnashed  my  teeth  and  could  al- 
most have  shed  tears  in  my  baffled  rage  and  fury. 

I  lay  thus  some  hours  till  the  light  must  have 
come,  for  even  through  the  heavy  bandages  on  my 
eyes,  the  darkness  seemed  tinged  with  grey.  As  I 
thought  of  the  use  I  might  have  made  of  the  light, 
my  self-reproaches  welled  up  again  till  I  felt  almost 
like  a  madman. 

Later  on  I  heard  the  door  unlocked  and  two  or 
three  men  entered.  They  came  and  turned  me  over 
and  holding  me  firmly,  cut  the  ropes  that  bound  my 
arms,  and  then  tied  my  hands  behind  me  in  iron 
handcuffs,  drawing  them  so  tightly  that  I  could  not 
move  them  without  pain.  When  I  was  so  far  se- 
cured they  cut  the  ropes  from  my  legs  and  bade  me 
stand  up.  I  tried;  but  the  rush  of  the  released 
blood  brought  with  it  too  much  pain,  and  I  was  just 
a  helpless  as  a  baby  for  some  minutes.  When  at 
length  I  managed  to  scramble  to  my  feet,  they  unfas- 
tened the  bandage  from  my  eyes  and  as  soon  as  my 
dazed  sight  could  focus  itself,  I  saw  that  brute  De- 
vinsky  looking  at  me  with  a  sneering  laugh. 

"  So  it's  you,  is  it  ?  "  he  cried,  as  if  in  surprise 


212  By  Right  of  Sword 

"Turned  robber,  eh,  breaking  into  men's  houses  in 
the  dead  of  night?  And  what  the  devil  are  you 
doing  here?  My  men  told  me  there  was  a  thief 
here,  but  I  didn't  expect  you." 

"  Don't  lie  to  me,"  I  cried  sternly.  "  You  know 
well  enough  why  I'm  here.  Where's  my  sister?  If 
you're  not  too  damned  a  coward,  get  me  my  sword 
and  let's  settle  this  thing  together  and  at  once." 

He  winced  at  the  taunt,  but  he  didn't  mean  to 
fight  that  way. 

"  Thank  you.  I  don't  fight  with  burglars.  I  hand 
them  over  to  the  police — when  it  suits  me.  I  always 
thought  there  was  something  secret  about  you ;  now 
I  know  what  it  is.  You've  been  living  by  this  sort 
of  work,  I  suppose.  Officer  by  day,  and  footpad  by 
night.  I'm  glad  my  men  have  caught  you  at  last." 
Then  he  sent  them  away;  and  as  soon  as  we  were 
alone  he  asked  me : — "  Do  you  value  your  life  ?  " 

"Yes,  for  one  reason.     To  take  yours." 

"  Well,  you  can  have  it — if  you  like  to  be  reason- 
able." 

"  I  make  no  terms  with  a  villain  like  you.  *' 

"  More  fool  you,"  he  laughed.  "  You  may  as  well 
face  the  position.  You  are  in  my  power.  This 
house  is  big  enough  and  strong  enough  to  hide  a 
regiment,  let  alone  one  man.  You  can't  stop  me 
now  from  carrying  out  my  intention  in  regard  to 
your  sister,  by  fair  means  or  othenvise;  and  you 
may  as  well  make  the  best  of  a  bad  business,  and 
own  that  I've  got  the  whip  hand  of  you,  partly  by 
my  luck  and  partly  by  your  own  damned  stupidity. 
I'd  rather  have  you  on  my  side  in  this  matter  than 
against  me;  but  with  me  or  against  me  you  can't 
step  me.  What  do  you  say  ?  " 

"  This.     That  the  first  use  I'll  make  of  my  hands 


Olga's  Abduction  213 

when  they're  free  shall  be  to  try  and  choke  the  life 
out  of  you.  And,  by  God,  I'll  try  and  do  it  now." 
In  my  rage  I  rushed  upon  him,  but  like  the  cowardly 
cur  he  was,  he  struck  me,  bound  and  defenceless  as 
I  was,  with  all  his  force  in  the  face,  and  then  with  a 
cry  brought  in  the  other  men.  These  threw  them- 
selves upon  me  and  bore  me  to  the  ground,  and 
bound  my  legs  again,  so  that  I  was  once  more  abso- 
lutely helpless. 

"  You  saw  that  attack  the  villain  made  on  me," 
said  Devinsky  to  the  men.  "  I  was  offering  to  re- 
lease him.  You'll  bear  witness  to  that.  As  for 
you,"  turning  to  me,  "you  can  stay  here  for  a  few 
hours  more  to  cool  your  murderous  fever ;  and  I  will 
send  back  orders  for  your  release,  when  I  am  at  a 
safe  distance.  And,  remember,  there  are  strong  cel- 
lars below ;  and  if  there  are  any  more  attempts  at 
violence,  I'll  have  you  put  there." 

He  went  out  then  with  the  men  and  in  a  moment 
later  returned  alone  and  said  in  a  voice  full  of  rage 
and  hate: — "I'm  going  through  with  this,  Petro- 
vitch,  at  any  cost — if  I  have  to  shut  you  up  here  till 
the  flesh  rots  off  your  bones.  Your  sister  and  I  are 
going  further  on  shortly:  and  I'll  see  you  once  more 
before  I  start,  and  give  you  one  more  chance  of  lis- 
tening to  reason. "  And  with  this  he  left  me. 

My  plight  was  worse  than  ever.  So  far,  Olga  was 
safe.  That  was  the  only  glimpse  of  comfort  in  all  the 
miserable  situation.  It  was  clear,  too,  that  she  was 
in  the  house;  and  though  she  was  still  in  the  man's 
power,  I  might  yet  find  some  means  of  helping  her. 

But  how  ?  That  was  the  question.  And  when  I 
thought  of  his  words  that  he  was  going  to  carry  her 
still  further  away,  I  turned  sick  with  rage  and  loath- 
ing. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE   RESCUE. 

I  FELT  as  though  the  heat  of  hell  were  burning  in 
my  veins  as  I  lay  on  the  floor  with  the  remembrance 
of  Devinsky's  blow  and  his  words  turning  my  blood 
to  fire.  If  ever  I  were  free  again,  I  swore  to  myself 
over  and  over  again,  I  would  have  his  life  for  that 
blow.  My  anguish  and  rage  that  he  should  have 
Olga  in  his  power  were  infinite  tortures,  and  all  the 
less  endurable  because  of  my  abject  helplessness. 

The  one  chance  I  had  of  deliverance  was  that  some- 
one, perhaps  Essaieff,  should  hear  of  the  matter  and 
follow  me.  But  the  hope  was  so  feeble  as  to  be  lit- 
tle more  than  tantalising ;  fool- like,  I  had  rushed  off 
without  leaving  any  intimation  of  what  had  happened. 
If  he  did  follow  me,  indeed,  it  would  be  only  after  a 
long  interval,  and  not  until  Devinsky  would  have  had 
time  either  to  get  far  away  or  to  carry  out  his  pur- 
pose. 

Then  I  began  speculating  as  to  what  he  meant  to 
do.  He  would  scarcely  dare  to  try  and  make  Olga 
his  wife  against  her  will  and  consent;  though  he 
was  evidently  villain  enough  to  go  to  great  lengths. 

In  this  way  my  thoughts  ran  over  the  ground  try- 
ing to  ferret  out  a  means  of  escape  as  well  as  seeking 
a  key  to  the  man's  motives ;  and  thus  another  hour 
or  two  slipped  away  without  my  hearing  a  sound  or 
getting  a  sign  of  anyone. 


The  Rescue  215 

The  strain  of  suspense  was  enough  to  turn  one's 
brain. 

But  a  wholly  unexpected  and  most  welcome  inter- 
ruption came  to  break  in  upon  my  reverie.  Outside 
I  heard  the  tramp  of  horses  being  ridden  at  a  sharp 
trot  into  the  courtyard  of  the  house,  with  a  jingling 
of  arms  and  accoutrements  that  told  me  the  riders 
were  either  soldiers  or  mounted  police.  A  sharp 
word  of  command  brought  them  to  the  halt;  and  as 
soon  as  that  happened,  I  let  out  such  a  lusty  yell  for 
help  as  made  the  walls  ring  again  and  again. 

Then  my  door  was  opened  and  two  men  rushed  in 
and  ordered  me  to  be  silent,  under  pain  of  instant 
death,  and  clapped  revolvers  to  my  head.  But  I 
knew  they  dared  not  fire  with  such  visitors  at  the 
door  and  I  continued  to  yell  with  all  my  lung  power 
until,  throwing  down  their  weapons,  they  first  clapped 
their  hands  on  my  mouth  and  then  thrust  a  gag  into 
my  jaws. 

Some  five  minutes  passed  and  the  tension  of  my 
impatience  was  unendurable.  Meanwhile  the  two 
men  held  me  and  cut  the  bonds  from  my  legs  and 
got  ready  to  slip  the  gyves  from  my  wrists. 

Presently  the  tramp  of  feet  approached  the  door 
of  my  room  and  when  it  was  opened  an  officer  of  the 
mounted  police  entered  with  a  file  of  men  at  his 
heels.  Devinsky  was  shewing  the  way  and  speaking 
as  they  all  came  in. 

"As  I  have  told  you,  he  made  an  attack  on  the 
house  in  the  night;  my  men  secured  him.  When  I 
saw  him,  I  recognised  him,  of  course,  and  should 
have  released  him,  but  he  tried  to  murder  me — 
angry,  I  presume,  at  having  been  discovered  and 
recognised  at  such  work.  I  then  had  him  bound 
again  and  was  going  to  send  to-day  into  the  city  for 


21 6  By  Right  of  Sword 

the  police,  when  you  came.  If  you'll  take  him  away, 
that's  all  I  want." 

The  man  in  command  of  the  police  listened  to  this 
in  silence  and  with  a  face  that  shewed  no  more  ex- 
pression than  a  stone  gargoyle. 

"  Release  him,"  he  said  to  his  men,  and  in  another 
moment  I  was  at  liberty.  As  soon  as  I  was  free,  I 
began  to  edge  my  way  inch  by  inch  toward  where 
Devinsky  stood.  I  would  have  him  down,  police  or 
no  police,  thought  I,  even  if  it  were  my  last  act  be- 
fore entering  a  gaol.  I  guessed  of  course  that  some 
Nihilist  blabber  had  told  the  facts,  and  that  I  was 
bound  for  Siberia,  or  worse. 

"  Lieutenant  Petrovitch,  you  are  to  accompany  me, 
if  you  please,"  said  the  leader;  and  a  sign  to  his 
men  set  two  of  them  at  each  side  of  me. 

"  I  have  first  one  word  to  say  to  that — gentleman," 
I  said,  pointing  to  Devinsky. 

"  Excuse  me.  My  instructions  are  peremptory. 
I  must  ask  you  to  go  with  me  at  once — without  a 
minute's  delay." 

I  saw  Devinsky's  face  brighten  at  the  thought  of 
thus  getting  rid  of  me :  and  my  fingers  itched  and 
cingled  to  be  at  his  throat. 

"  Am  I  arrested  ?  "  I  asked.     "  For  what  ?  " 

"  I  can  say  nothing,  Lieutenant,"  replied  the  man. 

"  Do  you  know  why  I'm  here?  " 

"  If  you  please,  we  must  go,  and  at  once,"  was  the 
stolid  reply. 

I  saw  Devinsky  grin  again  at  this. 

"This  man  has  carried  off  my  sister,"  I  cried. 
"  She  is  in  his  power  now,  and  it  was  when  I  came 
to  find  her  that  he  tricked  me  and  then  had  me  bound 
as  you  see.  Send  your  men  to  find  her.  She  must 
Veturn  with  us." 


The  Rescue  217 

"  I  have  no  instructions  to  that  effect,"  replied 
the  man  curtly. 

"  Damn  your  instructions, "  I  burst  out  hotly. 
"Are  you  a  man — to  leave  a  young  girl  in  this 
plight?  "  My  reply  stirred  only  anger. 

"  I  cannot  do  what  I  am  not  ordered  to  do,"  said 
the  officer  again  curtly. 

"  Then  I  won't  go  without  her.  Go  back  and — or 
better,  send  one  of  your  men  for  permission  to  do 
this  and  stay  here  and  keep  guard  over  me  and  my 
sister  at  the  same  time." 

"  It  is  impossible.  My  instructions  are  peremp- 
tory and  nothing  will  let  me  swerve  from  them. " 

I  began  to  lose  all  self-command,  and  only  by  the 
most  strenuous  efforts  did  I  prevent  myself  from  heap- 
ing reproaches  upon  him  for  his  cold-blooded  official- 
ism. 

"  Will  you  leave  a  couple  of  men  here  then,  to 
protect  her  ? 

"  I  can  say  no  more,  Lieutenant,  and  do  no  more 
than  I  have  said.  And  now,  we  must  go." 

It  maddened  me  beyond  all  telling  to  think  that  I 
was  to  be  carried  away  in  this  ruthless,  heartless, 
implacable  fashion  at  the  very  moment  when  the 
rescue  of  the  girl  I  loved  more  than  my  life  was  but 
a  matter  of  walking  into  another  room  and  bringing 
her  out.  I  was  staggered  by  the  blow. 

"  Do  you  know  that  I  would  ten  thousand  times 
rather  that  you  had  left  me  here  bound  and  help- 
less as  I  was  than  take  me  away  in  this  fashion.  I 
must  see  my  sister.  I  must  save  her — why,  man, 
are  you  lost  to  every  sense  of  feeling  ?  Take  her 
away  first — make  her  safe;  and  then  I  swear  to 
Heaven,  you  or  this  man  can  do  with  me  what  you 
please." 


21 8  By  Right  of  Sword 

The  stolid  stony  impassiveness  of  the  man's  face 
crushed  every  hope  out  of  me.  I  could  have  struck 
him  in  my  baffled  rage. 

"  I  have  twenty  men  in  the  troop  here,  Lieutenant. 
My  instructions  are  to  take  you  at  once  to  Moscow. 
I  prefer  to  use  no  force ;  but  I  have  it  here,  if  neces- 
sary." 

I  wrung  my  hands  in  despair;  and  then  with  a 
wild  dash  I  rushed  to  the  door  to  try  and  find  Olga 
for  myself.  It  was  useless.  They  closed  on  me  in 
an  instant,  and  I  was  helpless.  Then  they  marched 
me  out  to  the  horses,  venting  as  I  went  bitter  re- 
proaches and  unavailing  protests,  mingled  with  loud 
curses,  laments,  and  revilings. 

"  Will  you  give  me  your  parole  to  go  quietly, 
Lieutenant  ?  "  asked  the  leader. 

"  On  one  condition.  That  we  ride  at  full  speed 
all  the  way." 

"  I  can  make  no  condition,"  replied  this  block  of 
official  stolidity;  "but  my  instructions  are  to  act 
with  all  haste.  One  question — have  you  been  ill 
treated  here?  " 

"  Only  as  I  told  you." 

Then  he  went  back  into  the  house  for  a  moment, 
saying  he  would  speak  to  Devinsky  about  it.  I  saw 
the  latter  change  colour  when  he  received  the  police 
report  and  he  made  a  gesture  of  seeming  repudiation, 
lifting  his  hands  and  shrugging  his  shoulders.  After 
that  he  threw  me  a  malicious  look  from  his  angry 
evil  face  that  almost  made  me  clamber  down  from 
the  saddle  to  try  and  have  a  reckoning  with  him 
there  and  then. 

"When  I'm  out  of  this,  171  hunt  you  out,"  I  cried: 
between  my  teeth. 

"  When ! "  he  answered :  and  the  sneer  in  which 


The  Rescue  219 

he  shewed  his  teeth  as  he  uttered  the  word,  was  in 
my  eyes  for  half  that  long,  wild  ride. 

The  police  leader  kept  his  word ;  and  we  rode  at  a 
hard  gallop  nearly  all  the  way,  the  whole  country 
side  turning  out  as  we  thundered  by. 

The  man  would  not  say  a  word  to  me  on  the  jour- 
ney, except  that  he  had  been  ordered  to  hold  no  com- 
munication at  all  with  me;  and  thus  I  did  not  know 
where  they  were  taking  me,  or  whether  I  was  ar- 
rested or  rescued,  until  we  drew  rein  at  the  Police 
head-quarters  in  Moscow  and  I  was  ushered  straight 
into  the  presence  of  Prince  Bilbassoff,  all  dirty,  dis- 
hevelled, bruised,  and  travel-stained  as  I  was. 

He  rose  and  met  me,  holding  out  his  hand. 

"  My  dear  Lieutenant,  you  are  really  giving  me  an 
unconscionable  amount  of  trouble.  As  much,  indeed, 
as  if  you  were  already  a  member  of  my  family. " 

"What  does  all  this  mean?"  I  asked.  "Am  I 
arrested?" 

"  What  an  impatient  fellow  you  are !  It  will  all 
come  in  time,"  he  returned,  with  an  indescribable 
blending  of  good  nature  and  suggestive  threat.  "  Is 
this  all  the  thanks  one  gets  for  rescuing  you  from 
what,  judging  by  your  appearance,  has  been  a  very 
ugly  mess.  This  harum-scarum  business  will  really 
have  to  stop — when  you  marry."  He  seemed  almost 
to  laugh  behind  his  grizzled  moustache  in  the  pause 
that  emphasised  the  last  three  words. 

"  Will  you  tell  me  the  real  meaning  of  this  ?  I 
have  already  asked  you." 

"  Sit  down ;"  and  he  sat  down  himself,  and  lounged 
back  easily  in  his  chair.  "By  the  way,  have  you 
lunched  ?  " 

"  For  God's  sake,  man,  don't  trifle  in  this  way.  If 
you  know  the  facts,  as  I  suppose  you  do,  you'll  know 


22O  By  Right  of  Sword 

I'm  in  no  mood  for  bantering  courtesy.  Why  am  I 
torn  away  by  your  men  by  force  at  the  very  moment 
when  my  sister  is  in  danger  at  the  hand  of  the  brute 
who  has  carried  her  off?  I  suppose  you  know  all 
this.  What  does  it  mean,  I  repeat  ?  " 

"You  can  understand,  perhaps,  Lieutenant,  that 
as  it  is  two  days  since  my  sister  referred  you  to  me, 
and  you  had  left  Moscow  hastily,  she  was  growing  a 
little  anxious.  You  know  something  of  women  in 
love  and  their  insistent  moods. " 

"To  hell  with  all  these  plots  and  intrigues,"  7 
cried,  furiously.  "  If  you  mean  that  that  devil  De- 
vinsky  is  to  have  my  sister  in  his  power  and  I  am  tc 
sit  down  coolly  and  bear  it  while  you  talk  to  me 
about  marriage,  you  don't  know  me.  I'll  think  of 
nothing,  talk  of  nothing,  do  nothing,  till  I  have 
either  saved  her  and  killed  that  villain,  or  am  killed 
myself." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  will  set  me  at  defiance  ?  " 
cried  the  Prince,  in  stern  ringing  tones,  his  eyes  flash- 
ing at  me.  "  That  you  dare  to  flout  the  offers  we 
have  made  you,  and  have  the  hardihood  to  set  the 
needs  of  the  country  below  your  own  little  petty 
personal  feelings  and  wishes?  Do  you  know  what 
that  means,  sir  ?  '* 

"  I  care  not  what  it  means,"  I  answered,  recklessly. 
"  I  tell  you  this  to  your  face.  If  my  sister  be  not 
saved  at  once,  I'll  never  set  eyes  on  you  or  your  sis- 
ter again,  unless  it  be  that  you  make  me  grin  at  you 
from  behind  the  bars  of  some  one  of  your  cursed 
gaols.  That  is  my  last  word,  if  it  costs  me  my  life." 

He  rose  and  looked  at  me  so  sternly  that  I  could 
almost  have  flinched  before  him  if  my  stake  in  the 
matter  had  not  been  so  great.  I  never  met  such  a 
look  of  concentrated  power  before. 


The  Rescue  221 

"  If  you  dare  to  repeat  that,  Lieutenant  Petrovitch, 
1  will  send  you  straight  to  the  Mallovitch,"  he  said, 
with  positively  deadly  intensity  of  tone,  pointing  his 
finger  through  the  window  to  where  the  gloomy 
frowning  tower  of  the  great  prison  was  visible. 

"I  care  not  if  you  send  me  to  hell,"  I  cried. 
"  Save  my  sister,  or  my  hand  shall  rot  at  the  wrist 
before  I  lift  it  in  your  service." 

We  stood  staring  intently  dead  into  each  other's 
eyes ;  and  he  stretched  forward  a  hand  to  summon 
those  who  would  carry  out  his  threat. 

Then  he  breathed  deeply,  smiled,  and  offered  me 
his  hand  instead. 

"  By  God,  you're  the  man  we  want,  in  all  truth. 
Now,  I'll  tell  you  what  you  ask." 

He  had  only  been  testing  me  after  all,  and  my  wits 
were  so  blunt  in  my  agitation  that  I  had  not  seen 
through  him. 

"  Have  no  fear  for  your  sister,"  he  continued. 
"  She  is  quite  safe.  My  man  gave  that  Devinsky  a 
message  when  he  was  leaving  that  puts  all  doubt  on 
that  score  aside.  She  is  part  of  our  bargain,  and 
the  arm  of  the  State  is  over  her.  If  you  accept  my 
offer  at  once,  your  sister  herself  shall  decide  that 
man's  punishment.  My  object  in  all  this  is  two- 
fold— to  let  you  feel  something  of  the  substance  of 
power  that  will  be  yours  when  you  have  consented; 
and  secondly  to  test  a  little  more  thoroughly  your 
staunchness.  I  am  satisfied,  Lieutenant.  And  I 
hope  you  are. " 

"Where  is  my  sister  now?  "  I  asked,  after  a  mo- 
ment's consideration. 

"  Where  you  left  her,  of  course.  Decide  how  you 
wish  her  to  come  to  Moscow.  Shall  my  men  fetch 
her?  Shall  that  man  bring  her  back  himself?  Of 


222  By  Right  of  Sword 

will  you  ride  out  ?  It  is  a  matter  of  the  merest  form 
— but  as  yet,  of  course,  you  are  unaccustomed  to  your 
influence  and  power. " 

He  was  the  devil  at  tempting ;  and  though  he  had 
told  me  his  motive,  and  I  knew  the  rank  impossibil- 
ity of  doing  what  he  wanted — I  could  not  help  a  lit- 
tle thrill  of  pleasure  at  the  consciousness  that  this 
power  lay  within  my  grasp. 

"  I  will  ride  out  and  bring  her  in  myself,"  I  said, 
with  a  flush  of  pleasant  anticipation  at  the  thought. 

"As  you  will.  This  will  do  everything,"  he  said, 
as  he  wrote  me  an  order  in  the  name  of  the  Emperor. 
I  knew  its  power  well  enough.  "  One  condition,  by 
the  bye.  You  must  not  fight  this  Devinsky;  nor  do 
anything  to  provoke  a  fight. " 

"  I  won't  promise,"  I  answered. 

'*  Then  I  give  no  order.  Your  life  is  ours,  not 
yours  to  play  with.  That  is  the  essence  of  the 
matter." 

"  I  will  promise,"  I  said,  changing  suddenly  as  I 
thought  of  Olga  and  the  delight  of  seeing  her  under 
the  circumstances.  "  My  word  on  it.  I  do  nothing 
except  in  self-defence,  or  in  defence  of  my  sister. " 

"Well,  be  off  with  you  then,"  he  said,  rising  and 
shaking  hands,  and  speaking  as  lightly  as  I  were  a 
schoolboy  being  sent  off  for  a  ride ;  and  as  though 
there  were  not  between  us  a  jot  or  tittle  of  a  plan  in 
which  life  and  death,  fortune  and  marriage  were  the 
stakes. 

I  hurried  back  to  make  preparations  for  riding 
back  at  once ;  and  half  an  hour  later  I  had  had  my 
first  meal  for  twenty-four  hours  and  was  again  in  the 
saddle,  pricking  at  top  speed  along  the  northern  road, 
followed  by  one  of  the  Prince's  confidential  servants, 
sent,  as  the  former  said  to  me,  with  especial  instruo 


The  Rescue  223 

tions  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  one  who  was  soon 
to  be  a  member  of  the  family. 

There  is  no  need  to  describe  with  what  different 
emotions  and  thoughts  I  made  that  journey.  It  is 
enough  to  say  that  I  dashed  along  at  top  speed, 
haunted  by  half  a  fear  that  something  might  yet  go 
wrong  with  the  plans  and  that  Olga  might  still  be 
in  some  danger ;  while  a  desire  more  keen  than  words 
can  express  came  upon  me  to  have  her  once  more 
under  my  own  care. 

At  the  same  time  the  sense  of  power  to  which  the 
appeal  had  been  so  astutely  made  was  roused,  and  I 
was  conscious  of  an  unusual  glow  of  pride. 

When  I  reached  the  house  where  I  had  had  the 
ugly  experience  of  the  previous  night  I  looked  out 
for  any  sign  of  hostility.  But  there  was  none.  A 
man  came  immediately  in  answer  to  my  summons, 
and  Devinsky  was  waiting  for  me  in  the  large  hall, 
which  I  scanned  curiously  after  my  night's  experience 
in  it. 

The  sight  of  Devinsky  roused  me,  but  I  put  the 
curb  on  my  temper. 

I  handed  him  the  order  in  silence.  He  read  it  and 
sneered. 

"It  is  a  good  and  safe  thing  to  shelter  behind 
Government  powers,"  he  said.  "  Your  sister  is  up- 
stairs. This  way."  He  led  and  I  followed,  my 
heart  beating  fast. 

We  passed  up  the  stairs  and  then  turned  along  a 
corridor  to  the  right,  and  after  turning  again  to  the 
right,  and  entering,  as  I  thought,  the  right  wing  of 
the  rambling  old  house,  we  went  up  another  short 
and  very  narrow  flight  of  stairs.  Then  he  opened  the 
door  of  a  room  in  silence — indeed  we  had  not  spoken 
a  word  all  the  time — and  stood  aside  for  me  to  pass. 


224  By  Right  of  Sword 

Olga  was  sitting  at  the  far  end  of  the  room  look- 
ing out  of  the  window,  which  was  on  the  side  away 
from  the  courtyard,  with  a  woman  attendant  near  her ; 
and  she  did  not  even  turn  round  when  the  door  opened. 

But  when  I  uttered  her  name  and  she  saw  me,  she 
sprang  up,  speaking  mine  in  reply  with  such  a  glad 
cry,  and  ran  to  me  with  a  look  of  such  rare  delight 
on  her  face  that  I  think  she  was  going  to  throw  her- 
self into  my  arms  and  I  was  certainly  going  to  let 
her,  oblivious  of  all  but  the  rush  of  love  that  moved 
our  hearts  simultaneously: 

When  she  was  close  to  me,  she  checked  herself, 
however,  and  put  her  hands  in  mine,  as  a  sister 
might.  But  the  glances  from  her  eyes  told  me  all 
I  cared  to  know  at  that  moment,  while  her  gaze 
roamed  over  me  as  if  in  bewilderment. 

"How  is  it  you  are  better — and  out?  Where  is 
your  wound  ?  What  is  that  mark  on  your  face  ?  I 
don't  understand.  They  told  me  you  were  lying 
dangerously  wounded  and  that  you  wished  me  to  re- 
main here  until  you  could  bear  to  see  me." 

"  There  is  a  good  deal  you  don't  understand  yet, 
Olga,"  I  said.  "The  story  of  the  duel  was  a  lie 
from  start  to  finish." 

"  Then  you're  not  wounded  ?  Oh,  I'm  so  glad, 
Alexis, "  and,  moving  her  hands  up  my  arm  after  a 
timid  glance  at  the  woman,  she  looked  her  thankful- 
ness'and  solicitude  into  my  eyes. 

The  look  made  me  speechless.  Had  I  tried  to 
answer  it  in  words,  I  must  have  told  her  my  love. 

"You  are  to  come  with  me,  Olga,"  I  said,  present- 
ly, recovering  myself.  "  The  aunt  is  all  impatience 
to  have  you  back  again." 

"Why?     I  explained  all  to  her  in  my  messages." 

"  Your  messages  got  lost  on  the  way,"  I  answered. 


The  Rescue  225 

and  she  saw  by  my  tone  how  things  were.  She  got 
ready  to  come  with  me  without  another  word ;  and  I 
could  feel  my  heart  thumping  and  lurching  against 
my  side  as  I  watched  her  and  caught  her  turn  now 
and  again  to  look  at  me  and  send  me  a  little  smile  of 
trust  and  pleasure. 

There  was  no  need  for  us  to  speak  much ;  we  were 
beginning  to  understand  each  other  well  enough 
without  words. 

We  went  out  of  the  room  together,  and  I  was  sur- 
prised and  glad  to  see  on  a  chair  close  by  the  door 
the  sword  which  I  had  dropped  the  previous  night. 
I  took  it  up,  and  as  I  did  so  Olga  cried  out  in  great 
and  sudden  fear. 

I  looked  up  and  saw  Devinsky  at  the  narrow  head 
of  the  short  stairway. 

"I've  complied  with  the  order,"  he  said,  his  voice 
vibrating  with  anger.  "  And  I've  given  your  sister 
freely  into  your  hands.  You  are  at  liberty  to  pass — • 
alone."  He  said  this  to  her  and  then  turned  to  me: 

"  But  not  you,  till  you  and  I  have  settled  our  old 
score. " 

"  As  you  will,"  replied  I,  readily.  "  Nothing  will 
please  me  more.  But  stay,"  I  cried,  remembering 
my  promise.  "  I  cannot  now.  I  have  passed  my 
word.  Stand  aside,  please,  and  let  us  pass." 

"  Not  if  you  were  the  Czar  himself,"  he  answered, 
hotly.  "And  I'm  not  going  to  let  you  shield -your- 
self either  behind  the  Government — you  spy! — or 
behind  your  sister's  petticoats.  If  she  doesn't  choose 
to  go  when  she  has  the  chance,  let  her  stop  and  see 
the  consequence. " 

"  Olga,  you  had  better  go  on,"  I  whispered. 
"  This  may  be  an  ugly  business,  and  not  fit  for  you 
to  be  here." 


226  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  Where  you  are,  I  stop — come  what  may ! w  she 
answered,  firmly. 

"  I've  not  come  here  to  fight  now,"  I  said  to  De- 
vinsky.  "I'll  meet  you  willingly  enough  another 
time,  God  knows.  But  now,  I've  passed  my  word;" 
and  with  that  I  raised  my  voice  and  shouted  with  all 
my  strength  to  Prince  BilbassofF s  servant,  who  was 
below,  to  come  to  my  assistance. 

For  answer  Devinsky  called  on  a  couple  of  men 
who  until  then  had  been  hidden,  and  with  drawn 
swords  and  a  loud  shout  the  three  rushed  forward  to 
throw  themselves  upon  me. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

THREE  TO    ONE. 

A  GLANCE  round  told  me  the  attack  had  been 
shrewdly  planned  indeed.  The  spot  in  which  we  all 
were  was  a  large  square  anteroom  or  landing  place, 
lighted  from  above.  Four  or  five  doors  opened  from 
it  into  the  rooms  on  either  side,  and  the  narrow  stair- 
way was  the  only  means  of  communication  with  the 
rest  of  the  house.  I  was  caught  like  a  rat  in  a  trap, 
and  unless  I  could  beat  off  the  men  who  were  thus 
attacking  me  at  such  dangerous  odds,  I  was  as  good 
as  a  dead  man.  I  whipped  out  my  sword  and  pushed 
Olga  back  into  the  room  we  had  left,  just  in  time  to 
parry  the  first  wild  lunges  Devinsky  made  at  me; 
and  at  the  first  touch  of  the  steel  all  my  coolness 
came  to  me. 

Everything  must  turn  on  the  first  minute  or  two ; 
and  knowing  my  man  I  set  all  my  skill  to  work  to 
keep  him  so  engaged  as  to  hamper  the  attempts  of 
the  other  two  to  get  to  close  quarters  with  me. 

I  worked  back  into  a  corner  of  the  place,  close  to 
the  door  of  the  room,  and  then  as  I  darted  out  lunge 
after  lunge  with  the  swiftest  dexterity,  my  three  op- 
ponents were  compelled  to  get  into  each  other's  way 
in  their  hurried  manoeuvres  to  avoid  my  strokes. 
By  this  means  I  hampered  their  fighting  strength 
and  lessened  it  by  at  least  one  man,  since  all  three 


228  By  Right  of  Sword 

could  not  possibly  get  to  strike  at  me  at  the  same 
time.  But  even  thus  the  odds  were  too  heavy. 

Devinsky  was  nothing  like  my  equal  with  the 
sword,  and  his  rage  and  mad  hate  now  rendered  him 
less  deadly  than  usual :  but  with  two  others  to  help 
him,  I  could  hardly  hope  to  win  in  the  end.  For 
this  reason  as  I  fought  I  uttered  shout  after  shout  to 
the  man  below  to  come  to  my  assistance. 

These  cries  had  also  the  effect  of  disconcerting 
my  opponents. 

Then  a  lucky  chance  happened. 

One  of  the  men  in  jumping  back  out  of  the  way  of 
one  of  my  thrusts  stumbled  over  the  second,  and  sent 
this  one  for  a  moment  into  Devinsky's  way.  I  saw 
my  chance  and  seized  it  in  an  instant.  In  a  trice  I 
rushed  at  the  half  prostrate  man  and  disdaining  to 
kill  him  when  his  guard  was  down,  I  kicked  him 
with  my  heavy  riding  boot  with  all  my  force  in  the 
face,  and  sent  him  reeling  back,  groaning  and  half 
choked  with  the  blood  that  came  gushing  out  of  his 
nose  and  mouth,  while  his  sword  went  rattling  across 
the  floor  to  where  Olga  stood,  looking  on  aghast, 
breathless  and  open  mouthed  in  her  fear. 

But  the  chance  nearly  cost  me  dear,  for  the  man's 
companion  turned  on  me  and  thrust  at  me  with  such 
directness  and  rapidity  as  all  but  ended  the  fight ; 
for  his  sword  went  through  the  fleshy  part  of  my 
arm,  just  above  the  elbow.  An  inch  or  so  nearer 
the  body  would  have  sent  it  right  through  my  heart. 
It  was  the  last  thrust  he  ever  made,  however.  The 
next  instant  my  blade  had  found  his  heart,  and  with 
a  groan  he  dropped. 

Before  I  could  withdraw  it,  however,  Devinsky 
uttered  a  cry  of  hate,  and  dashing  at  me  thruwt  at 
my  heart  with  all  his  strength. 


Three  to  One  229 

He  must  have  killed  me  but  for  Olga. 

That  splendid  girl  had  picked  up  the  fallen  man's 
sword  and  now,  seeing  my  plight,  she  sprang  forward 
at  the  hazard  of  her  life,  crying  out  "  Coward !  "  and 
struck  down  Devinsky's  sword  with  all  her  force. 

"Good,"  I  cried;  and  the  next  instant,  I  had 
wrenched  my  weapon  tree  and  held  the  man. 

"Take  care.  Back  to  the  room,  or  behind  me, 
child,"  I  cried,  when  I  heard  my  opponent  curse  in 
his  foiled  attempt  to  kill  me  and  saw  him  turn  as  if 
to  attack  Olga.  "  Now,  you  butcher,  it's  you  and  I 
alone ;  and  you  or  I,  to  live. " 

"  As  you  will, "  he  said,  and  I  saw  him  clench  his 
teeth  and  set  his  face  in  the  way  men  do  who  know 
that  they  are  face  to  face  with  a  risk  where  failure 
means  death. 

My  blood  was  up  now,  and  I  meant  death  too.  He 
had  given  up  all  right  to  expect  anything  else,  and  I 
had  no  mind  to  let  him  off.  If  ever  a  man  had 
earned  death  he  had.  He  had  heaped  on  me  every 
indignity  that  one  man  could  put  on  another,  and  to 
crown  it  »31  he  had  just  tried  to  murder  me.  I 
would  kill  him  with  less  compunction  than  one  kills 
a  dog ;  and  I  set  about  the  task  with  the  coolest  de- 
liberation am'  purpose. 

The  scene  was  a  grim  and  ghastly  one  enough. 
The  floor  was  all  slippery  in  places  with  the  blood  of 
the  man  I  had  killed,  whose  body  lay  huddled  up 
against  the  walJ.  as  well  as  of  the  other  who  sat  on 
the  ground  still  jpitting  and  coughing  and  mumbling 
and  cursing  from  the  fearful  effects  of  my  kick.  In 
the  middle  we  two  stood  fighting  to  the  death,  watch- 
ing one  another  with  the  fire  of  hate  and  blood  lust 
in  our  eyes  and  on  our  set  faces :  while  Olga,  all 
eagerness,  excitement  and  tension,  stood  in  the  door' 


230  By  Right  of  Sword 

way  watching  us  with  white  drawn  face  and  dilated 
eyes;  the  deeply  drawn  breath  coming  in  spasms 
through  her  distended  nostrils  and  slightly  parted  lips. 

I  forced  the  fight  with  all  my  power,  and  my  blade 
flashed  about  my  antagonist  until  all  his  skill  was 
useless  even  to  defend  himself  against  my  point, 
while  any  offensive  tactic  was  out  of  the  question. 
I  wounded  him  three  times,  once  so  close  to  the 
heart  that  Olga  cried  out;  and  at  length  recalling 
the  knack  with  which  I  had  disarmed  him  in  our 
former  encounter,  I  used  it  now;  and  after  a  few 
more  swift  and  cunning  passes  I  whipped  his  sword 
from  his  grasp  and  sent  it  rattling  to  the  other  end 
of  the  place. 

My  eye  flashed  as  I  drew  back  my  arm  for  the 
death  thrust. 

"  Ah,  don't,  Alexis,"  cried  Olga,  in  a  sort  of  whis- 
per of  horror.  "  Don't  kill  him !  " 

It  stopped  me  instantly,  and  my  arm  fell. 

"As  you  will,"  I  answered  readily;  *but  he 
doesn't  deserve  it.  You  owe  your  life  to  the  woman 
you've  tried  to  wrong,  not  to  me,"  I  said  to  him, 
shortly.  "  Stand  out  of  the  way  and  let  us  pass." 

He  moved  aside  doggedly,  eyeing  us  with  surly 
sullen  hate,  as  Olga,  trembling  violently  now  that 
the  excitement  was  over,  went  on  first,  and  I  followed 
her  through  the  stairway  and  down  and  out  of  the 
house. 

When  we  reached  the  courtyard,  the  postchaise 
which  I  had  ordered  to  follow  us  from  the  inn  had 
arrived,  and  Olga  and  I  entered  it  at  once. 

"  Thank  God,  we  are  out  of  the  house,"  was  my 
companion's  fervent  exclamation,  as  the  carriage 
turned  into  the  road  and  we  left  the  gloomy  place 
behind  us. 


Three  to  One  231 

"  Would  to  God  we  were  out  of  Russia ! "  said  I, 
speaking  from  my  heart.  "Then  ..."  I  paused 
and  looked  into  her  face. 

"  All  may  yet  come  right,"  answered  Olga,  meet- 
ing  my  eyes  and  putting  her  hand  in  mine.  My 
clasp  closed  on  it,  and  we  sat  thus  for  some  moments, 
just  hand  in  hand,  each  silently  happy  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  other's  love. 

Then  I  bent  toward  her  and  gradually  drew  her  to 
me,  my  eyes  all  the  time  lighted  with  the  light  from 
hers. 

"It  is  love,  Olga;  lovers*  love?"  I  asked  in  a 
passionate  whisper. 

For  answer  she  smiled  and  whispered  back : 

"It  has  always  been,  Alexis;"  and  she  met  my 
betrothal  kisses  with  warmth  equal  to  mine.  And 
after  that  we  did  not  care  to  say  a  word,  but  leant 
back  in  the  carriage  as  it  flew  through  the  country 
in  the  gathering  gloom  of  the  evening,  bumping, 
jolting,  rolling,  and  creaking.  What  cared  we  for 
that  ?  Olga  was  fast  in  my  arms,  her  head  on  my 
breast  and  her  face  close  to  mine,  so  close  that  we 
were  tempted  ever  and  again  to  let  the  story  of  our 
love  tell  itself  over  and  over  again  in  our  kisses ;  and 
neither  Olga  nor  I  had  a  thought  of  resisting  the 
temptation. 

This  would  have  gone  on  for  hours,  so  far  as  I  was 
concerned;  I  was  in  a  veritable  Palace  of  Delight 
with  freshly  avowed  love  as  my  one  thought.  But 
Olga  roused  herself  suddenly  with  a  start  and  a  little 
cry. 

"  Oh,  Alexis,  what  have  you  made  me  do  ?  Your 
wound." 

I  had  forgotten  all  about  it,  but  now  when  she 
mentioned  it  my  left  arm  felt  a  little  stiff. 


232  By  Right  of  Sword 

"I  am  ashamed  of  myself,"  she  cried.  "What  3 
love  must  mine  be,  that  I  want  to  dream  of  it  with 
selfish  pleasure  when  you  are  wounded.  You  make 
me  drink  oblivion  with  your  kisses." 

"  Love  is  a  fine  narcotic,"  replied  I,  laughing.  "  I 
felt  no  wound  while  you  looked  at  me.  But  now 
that  you  bring  me  down  to  earth  with  a  rush,  I  begin 
to  remember  it.  But  it  is  nothing  much,  and  will 
best  wait  till  we  are  in  Moscow." 

"Do  you  think  I  will  let  anyone  see  that  wound 
before  I  do?  Why,  it  was  gained  for  my  sake. 
And  you  love  me?  And  now  " — "  now  "  was  a  long 
loving  kiss  and  a  lingering  look  into  my  face  as  she 
held  it  between  her  hands,  while  her  eyes  were  ra- 
diant with  delight.  Then  she  sighed — "  Now,  I  am 
all  sister  again." 

I  was  looking  my  doubts  of  this  and  meant  to  test 
them,  shaking  my  head  in  strong  disbelief,  when  the 
carriage  stopped  suddenly.  Looking  out  I  saw  that 
we  were  at  the  inn,  and  must  therefore  have  been 
driving  long  over  two  hours.  It  had  seemed  scarce 
a  minute. 

"  Will  you  get  out  while  we  change  horses,  sir  ?  " 
asked  the  Prince's  servant,  who  had  come  with  the 
carriage  on  horseback. 

"  My  brother  is  wounded  and  must  have  attendance 
at  once,"  said  Olga,  in  so  self  possessed  a  tone  that 
I  smiled. 

"  Only  a  scratch,"  said  I,  as  if  impatiently.  "  But 
my  sister  is  always  fidgety." 

We  went  into  the  house  then,  and  Olga  insisted 
upon  examining  the  wound,  and  when  she  saw  the 
blood  I  had  lost,  not  much,  but  making  brave  shew 
on  my  white  linen,  she  was  all  solicitude,  and  anxiety. 
She  sent  the  maids  flying  this  way  and  that,  one  to 


Three  to  One  233 

fetch  hot  water,  another  bandages,  a  third  lint,  and 
altogether  made  such  a  commotion  in  the  place  that 
one  would  have  thought  I  had  been  brought  there  to 
die. 

She  bathed  the  little  spot  so  tenderly  and  delicate- 
ly too,  asking  every  moment  if  her  touch  hurt  me; 
and  she  washed  it  and  then  covered  it  and  bandaged 
it  and  bound  it  up,  and  did  everything  with  such  in- 
finite care  that  I  was  almost  glad  I  had  been  wounded. 

And  the  whole  process  she  accompanied  with  a 
running  fire  of  would-be  scolding  comment  upon  the 
trouble  that  brothers  gave,  the  obstinate  creatures 
they  were,  the  rash  and  foolish  things  they  did,  how 
much  more  bother  they  were  than  sisters,  and  a  great 
deal  more  to  the  same  effect — till  I  thought  the  peo- 
ple would  see  through  the  acting  as  clearly  as  I  did, 
assisted  as  I  was  by  the  thousand  little  glints  and 
glances  she  threw  to  me  when  the  others  were  not 
looking  our  way. 

Then  she  held  a  long  consultation  with  the  land- 
lady— a  large  woman  who  seemed  as  kindly  in  heart 
as  she  was  portly  in  body — whether  it  would  be  safe 
for  me  to  go  on  to  the  city  that  night,  or  whether  a 
doctor  had  not  better  be  brought  out  to  me  there : 
and  it  took  the  persuasion  and  assurances  of  us  all  to 
win  her  consent  to  my  going  on. 

I  tried  to  punish  her  for  this  when  we  were  in  the 
carriage  again,  by  telling  her  I  supposed  she  was 
unwilling  to  travel  on  with  me.  But  I  wasted  my 
breath  and  my  effort,  as  she  was  all  the  way  in  the 
highest  spirits. 

"  I  don't  quite  know  which  I  like  best,"  she  said, 
laughing.  "Being  sister  with  a  knowledge  of — of 
something  else,  as  I  was  just  now  at  the  inn,  or—- 
or. .  .  -" 


234  %  Right  of  Sword 

"Or  what?" 

"Or  riding  with  Hamylton  Tregethner, "  she  an- 
swered,  laughing  again,  gleefully.  "Do  you  notice 
how  easily  I  can  say  that  dreadful  name  ?  " 

"  I  notice  I  like  it  better  from  your  lips  than  from 
any  others." 

"  I've  practised  it — and  it  was  so  difficult.  But  I 
might  even  get  to  like  it  in  time,  you  know." 

"  By  the  way,  I  remember  you  once  told  me  you 
didn't  like  Hamylton  Tregethner." 

"  Ah,  yes.  That  was  my  brother's  old  friend.  A 
very  disagreeable  person.  He  wanted  to  take  my 
brother  away  from  Moscow.  A  person  must  be  very 
unpleasant  who  wishes  to  divide  brother  and  sister. 
Don't  you  think  so  ?  " 

"That  depends  on  the  rate  of  exchange,"  said  I. 

"  Perhaps ;  but  at  that  time  there  was  no  talk  of 
exchange  at  all." 

"And  no  thought  of  it?  " 

"  Ah !  "  And  for  answer  she  nestled  to  me  again 
and  merged  the  sister  in  the  lover  with  a  readiness 
and  pleasure  that  shewed  what  she  thought  of  that 
particular  exchange. 

And  with  these  little  intervals  of  particularly  sweet 
and  pleasant  light  and  shade  we  travelled  the  miles 
to  Moscow,  in  what  seemed  to  us  both  an  incredibly 
short  time. 


CHAPTER   XXIL 

THE   BEGINNING   OF   THE   END. 

IT  was  not  until  a  night's  rest  had  somewhat  redressed 
the  balance  of  my  emotions  and  had  rendered  me  again 
subject  to  the  pressure  of  actualities  that  I  fully  real- 
ised how  the  avowal  of  my  love  had  rather  increased 
than  diminished  the  difficulties  of  our  position. 

Despite  my  fatigue  and  wound  I  was  stirring  in 
good  time,  and  had  had  the  doctor's  report  and  seen 
the  Colonel  to  get  leave  from  regimental  work,  in 
time  to  get  round  to  see  Olga  pretty  early.  I 
wished  to  see  her  and  discuss  the  whole  position  be- 
fore going  to  report  to  Prince  Bilbassoff  the  result  of 
things  with  Devinsky. 

The  manner  in  which  Olga  met  me  was  one  of  the 
sweetest  things  imaginable  and  the  presence  of  the 
good  aunt,  Countess  Palitzin,  added  to  its  effect. 
They  were  sitting  together  when  I  entered. 

"  It  is  Alexis,  aunt,"  said  Olga  rising.  She  was  a 
mixture  of  laughing  love  and  sisterly  indifference. 

"Alexis,  you  are  a  good  lad,  a  dear  lad,"  said  the 
old  lady,  usually  very  stately  and  punctilious. 
"  Come  here,  boy,  and  kiss  me  and  let  me  kiss  you. 
You  have  done  splendidly  and  bravely  in  this  matter 
of  Olga.  She  has  told  me  all  about  it." 

"All?"  I  echoed,  looking  at  Olga,  who  tried  to 
keep  the  smile  that  was  dancing  in  her  eyes  from 
travelling  to  her  lips. 


236  By  Right  of  Sword 

"All  that  a  sister  need  tell,"  she  said. 

"Olga,  I  have  no  patience  with  you,"  exclaimed 
the  aunt.  "  You  have  a  brother  in  a  thousand — • 
in  ten  thousand,  and  yet  you  speak  in  that  way. 
And  I  see  you  never  kiss  him  now.  I  should  like 
to  know  why.  Are  you  ashamed  of  him?  Here  he 
has  saved  you  from  all  this  trouble,  and  you  give 
him  the  points  of  your  finger  nails  to  touch.  Yet 
you  are  not  cold  and  feelingless  in  other  things." 

"I  am  glad  that  you  speak  to  her  like  this,"  I 
said,  gravely.  "She  seems  to  think  that  a  sister 
should  never  kiss  such  a  brother  as  I  am." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  think  I  have  given  you 
no  reason  to  believe  I  am  thankful  for  what  you  have 
done  ?  "  she  retorted,  fencing  cleverly. 

"  I  don't  echo  our  aunt's  words,  that  you  are  cold 
and  feelingless,  Olga — she  is  not  that,  Aunt  Palit- 
zin.  But  I  do  find  that  as  a  sister  she  places  a  strong 
reserve  on  her  feelings. " 

"To  hear  you  speak,"  said  Olga,  laughing  lightly, 
"  one  might  think  I  had  two  characters  :  in  one  of 
which  I  was  all  warmth  and  affection ;  in  the  other 
all  coldness  and  reserve. " 

"And  I  believe  that  would  be  about  right,  child," 
said  the  Countess.  "  For  when  the  boy  is  not  here 
your  tongue  never  tires  of  praising  him ;  and  yet  the 
moment  he  comes,  he  might  be  a  stranger  instead  of 
your  own  nearest  and  dearest." 

Olga  blushed  crimson  at  this. 

"Brothers  have  to  be  treated  judiciously,"  she 
said. 

" '  Judiciously,'  Olga.  Why,  what  on  earth  do 
you  mean?  How  could  you  love  a  brave  fellow 
like  Alexis  injudiciously?  " 

"Love  is  often  best  when  it  is  most  injudicious," 


The  Beginning  of  the  End        237 

said  I,  sententiously,  coming  to  Olga's  rescue;  but 
she  betrayed  me  shamefully.  Looking  innocently 
at  me  she  asked : — 

"  Would  you  like  us  to  be  a  pair  of  injudicious 
lovers,  then,  Alexis?  " 

"  If  I  never  shew  more  lack  of  judgment  than  in 
my  love  for  you,  I  shall  get  through  life,  Olga,"  I 
retorted. 

"  You  are  certainly  a  most  unusual  brother,  I  can 
tell  you,"  she  said,  smiling  slily. 

"  If  every  brother  had  such  a  sister,  the  tie  that 
binds  us  two  would  be  a  much  more  usual  one,"  I 
answered. 

"You  are  incorrigible,"  she  laughed  and  turned 
away. 

"  I  am  glad  you  speak  so  seriously,  Alexis,"  said 
my  aunt.  "  I'll  be  no  party  to  any  deception.  She 
does  love  you,  boy,  however  much  she  may  try  to 
hide  it  when  you  are  here ;"  and  with  this,  which  set 
us  both  laughing  again,  the  old  lady  went  away. 

"  Does  she  ?  "  I  asked ;  and  the  question  brought 
Olga  with  a  happy  look  into  my  arms. 

But  I  had  not  come  to  make  love,  sweet  though  it 
was  to  have  the  girl's  arms  about  me;  and  as  soon 
as  I  could,  I  began  to  talk  seriously  about  the  posi- 
tion. 

In  the  first  place  I  told  her  everything  that  had 
happened ;  and  there  was  one  thing  that  amused  her, 
despite  the  tremendously  critical  state  of  our  affairs. 
It  was  about  the  great  suitor  the  Prince  had  promised 
for  her. 

"What,  another?  "  she  said,  with  a  comical  crink- 
ling of  her  forehead.  "  Upon  my  word  what  with 
brothers  and  lovers,  I  am  sore  plagued.  This  makes 
the  .  .  ."  she  stopped. 


238  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  How  many  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  I  know.  Either  two  or  three,  ac« 
cording  as  we  reckon  you.  While  you're  my  brother, 
two  I  suppose.  Otherwise  three." 

" '  Otherwise '  is  a  good  deal  shaky,  I'm  afraid," 
said  I,  shaking  my  head.  "  And  I  begin  to  question 
whether  he'll  ever  count." 

"  He  may  not ;  but  in  that  case  no  other  ever  will," 
returned  Olga  earnestly.  "  Did  you  say  that  on  pur- 
pose to  get  another  assurance  from  me  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed.  I  only  spoke  out  of  the  reality  of 
my  doubts;"  and  then  we  went  on  threshing  the 
thing  out. 

"  There  is  but  one  possible  chance,"  said  I,  after  I 
had  told  her  all.  "  It's  a  remote  one,  perhaps,  but 
such  as  it  is,  we  must  use  it.  You  must  go.  .  .  ." 

"  I  won't  leave  Moscow  unless  you  go,"  she  broke 
in.  "  I  wouldn't  have  done  it  before  when  you 
wanted,  but  now  .  .  .  ."  she  paused  and  blushed 
and  her  eyes  brightened — "wild  horses  shan't  tear 
me  away." 

"  There  are  stronger  things  than  wild  horses,  child ; 
and  I  shall  appeal  to  one  in  your  case.  You  must 
go  in  order  to  try  and  get  me  out  of  the  muddle 
here." 

"  Yes,  I'll  go  for  that,  if  it's  necessary,"  she  de- 
clared as  readily  as  a  moment  before  she  had  de- 
clined. 

"  It  is  necessary.  Shortly,  my  idea  is  this.  We 
can't  get  away  together  at  the  same  time.  We  are 
shut  in  here  in  the  very  centre  of  Russia ;  and  if  we 
left  together  we  could  not  hope  to  reach  the  frontier 
for  many  hours  after  we  had  been  missed  from  here; 
while  if  we  were  missed  only  ten  minutes  before  we 
got  to  the  barrier,  it  would  be  lonjj  enough  for  us  to 


The  Beginning  of  the  End        239 

fee  stopped.  Besides,  there  are  ten  thousand  things 
that  come  in  the  way.  But  that  doesn't  apply  to 
your  travelling  alone ;  and  if  I  can  get  a  passport  or 
a  permit  for  you,  I  believe  you  will  be  able  to  get 
across  the  frontier  before  anyone  has  an  idea  that 
you  have  even  left  the  city.  In  my  case  that  would 
be  impossible.  There  are  three  separate  sets  of  lynx 
eyes  on  me.  The  Prince's  police — the  most  vigilant 
of  all ;  the  Nihilists — the  most  dangerous ;  and  Paula 
Tueski's — the  most  vengeful.  I  shall  have  the  most 
difficult  task  to  evade  them,  and  I  believe  it  will  be 
only  possible,  if  at  all,  by  a  sort  of  double  cunning. 
But  there  is  one  way  you  can  help." 

"What  is  that?"  asked  Olga,  whose  interest  was 
breathless. 

"  I  have  a  friend,  Balestier ;  you've  heard  of  him — 
the  Hon.  Rupert  Balestier.  He  saw  your  brother  in 
Taris  and  believes  that  some  devilment  is  on  foot. 
K  you  can  find  him  and  tell  him  all  that  has  hap- 
pened and  the  mess  that  things  are  in,  I  believe,  in 
fact  I  know,  that  he  would  exhaust  every  possible 
means  of  helping  me.  It  is  possible  that  our  For- 
eign Office  might  be  moved  by  the  influence  he  could 
bring  to  bear;  and  I  know  that  in  such  a  task  he'd 
stir  up  every  friend  and  relative  he  has  in  the  world. 
My  plan  is  simply  this.  You  must  go  with  all  pos- 
sible speed  to  Paris,  find  him,  tell  him  all,  and  get 
him  to  do  what  he  thinks  best  and  use  what  efforts 
he  can.  In  the  meantime  if  I  can't  escape  I  shall 
either  have  to  feign  consent  with  this  wretched  duel 
and  marriage  business  and  wait  on  events :  or  if  I  get 
a  chance  of  leaving,  slip  off  in  an  altogether  different 
direction. " 

"  It  is  a  terrible  trouble  I  have  brought  you  to> 
Alexis,"  said  the  girl  sadly. 


240  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  I  would  pay  a  far  bigger  price  for  this  trouble,** 
I  answered,  taking  her  hand  and  kissing  it.  "  And 
when  we  are  once  out  of  this  too  hospitable  land  of 
yours,  we  shall  laugh  at  it  all  together." 

"  Yes,  when  ?  "  she  said ;  and  her  tone  suggested 
a  hopelessness  which  responded  only  too  well  with 
that  which  I  felt  secretly. 

While  we  were  together,  however,  it  was  impos- 
sible for  us  to  feel  downcast  for  long.  There  was 
such  infinite  pleasure  in  mere  companionship,  that 
the  grim  troubles  which  surrounded  us  were  shut  out 
of  our  thoughts.  The  present  was  so  bright  that  it 
seemed  impossible  the  gloom  could  soon  close  in  on  us. 

But  when  I  had  left  her  and  was  alone  in  my 
rooms,  I  was  gloomy  enough;  and  my  spirits  were 
certainly  not  raised  when  my  new  servant  ushered 
in  Paula  Tueski. 

"  You  would  not  come  to  me,  Alexis,  so  I  have  to 
come  to  you,"  was  her  greeting.  "  You  neglect  me. 
I  suppose  because  of  the  great  friends  you  have 
made." 

"Great  friends?"  For  the  moment  not  under- 
standing her. 

"  Yes.  I  hear  that  you  are  finding  great  pleasure 
in  the  society  of  a  certain  great  lady." 

"  Oh,  you  mean  the  Princess  Weletsky  ?  "  I  laughed 
as  I  spoke. 

"It  does  not  make  me  laugh,"  she  said,  frowning. 

"You  are  in  mourning,  and  laughter  sounds  ill 
with  tears,"  I  returned.  I  hated  the  woman  worse 
every  time  I  saw  her. 

"  If  I  am  in  mourning  it  is  you  who  are  the  cause," 
she  cried,  stamping  her  foot,  angrily.  "  I  want  to 
know  what  this  new — new  friendship,  shall  I  call  it  ? 
• — means." 


The  Beginning  of  the  End       241 

"  You  may  call  it  what  you  like.  The  Princess  is 
nothing  to  me,"  said  I,  thinking  more  of  my  affec- 
tions than  of  the  facts. 

"  And  never  will  be  ?  "  said  my  companion  abruptly. 

"  And  never  will  be,  I  hope,"  I  agreed,  with  the 
accents  of  unmistakable  sincerity. 

But  my  visitor  was  suspicious  and  did  not  believe 
me.  She  got  up  and  came  close  to  me,  and  stared 
hard  into  my  eyes  as  if  searching  there  for  the  truth. 

"  Then  why  are  you  so  cold  to  me  ?  Not  a  kindly 
word,  not  a  gesture,  not  a  glance  that  you  mightn't 
have  thrown  to  the  veriest  beggar  in  the  street,  have 
you  given  me.  You,  who  used  always  to  brighten 
when  I  came  near  you.  I  have  seen  your  eyes  light 
up  a  hundred  times,  Alexis,  when  you  have  let  them 
rest  on  me,  praising,  pleasing,  and  loving  me.  And 
now  you  are  as  cold  as  a  tombstone.  Will  you  swear 
to  me  you  have  no  love  for  this  other  woman — this 
Princess  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly  I  will." 

"  Ah,  what  is  the  use  of  an  oath  in  which  there  is 
no  fire,  no  life,  nothing  but  dead  cold  ashes !  What 
has  changed  you?  Are  you  thinking  of  marrying 
this  woman  ? " 

"  If  she  waits  till  I  wish  to  marry  her,  she'll  die 
unmated,"  I  returned. 

"  Why  can't  you  say  yes  or  no  to  my  questions  ?  " 
she  cried,  stamping  her  foot  again,  irritated  by  the 
little  evasion.  "Are  you  thinking  of  marrying 
her?" 

"  No.     Is  that  answer  blunt  enough  for  you  ? " 

"  It  sounds  like  a  forced  lie  more  than  anything 
else.  Do  you  know  what  I  would  do,  Alexis,  if  I 
thought  you  meant  to  try  and  deceive  me  ?  " 

"I  can  pretty  well  guess,"  I  answered,  calmly. 
16 


242  By  Right  of  Sword 

"Probably  go  round  and  have  afternoon  tea  witfc 
her  and  tell  her  that  little  fable  which  you  told  me 
the  other  day.  You  weary  me  with  these  constant 
threats,  Paula.  They  get  like  a  musket  that's  held 
so  long  at  one's  head  that  it  rusts  at  the  lock  and  the 
trigger  can't  be  pulled.  It  would  be  so  much  more 
interesting  if  you'd  go  and  do  something. " 

With  that  I  turned  away  and  lighted  a  cigarette, 
almost  wishing  in  my  heart  I  could  offend  her  suffi- 
ciently to  drive  her  away ;  and  yet  sick  at  the  knowl- 
edge of  her  power  over  Olga  and  me. 

"I  like  that  tone  better,"  she  said,  with  a  laugh. 
"  At  least  it  shews  some  kind  of  feeling.  I  hate  a 
log.  You  will  find  I  can '  do  something,'  as  you  say, 
when  the  time  comes,  if  you  drive  me.  My  muskets 
don't  miss  fire. " 

"  No,  nor  your  daggers  blunt  their  points.  I  admit 
you  can  be  deadly  enough  where  you  hate. " 

"Don't  make  me  hate  you,  then,"  she  retorted, 
quickly. 

"  Is  that  possible,  Paula  ?  "  I  replied,  turning  to 
her  with  a  smile. 

The  instant  change  in  this  most  remarkable  woman 
at  this  one  slight  touch  of  tenderness  was  wonderful 
She  was  hungering  for  the  love  I  could  no  more  give 
her  than  I  could  have  given  her  the  Crown  of  Russia, 
and  at  this  little  accent  of  kindness  she  turned  all 
softness  and  smiling  love. 

"Ah,  God!  You  can  do  as  you  like  with  me, 
Alexis,"  she  cried,  excitedly.  "  Just  then  you  were 
rousing  all  the  devil  there  is  in  me;  and  now  no 
more  than  a  smile  drives  out  of  my  heart  every 
bought  save  of  my  love  for  you.  If  it  is  so  easy 
to  make  me  happy,  why  kill  me  with  your  coldness  ? 
Kiss  me,  Alexis."  She  came  to  throw  her  arms 


The  Beginning  of  the  End       243 

round  me,  but  wishing  to  avoid  this  caress,  I  remem- 
bered my  wound  and  stepping  back,  kept  her  off. 

"Mind,  I  have  a  little  hurt  here;"  and  I  pointed 
to  the  place. 

Little  did  I  think  of  the  consequences  of  that  most 
simple  action,  or  of  the  price  I  should  have  to  pay 
for  shirking  a  few  distasteful  kisses.  She  was  at 
once  all  anxiety. 

"  A  hurt  ?  A  wound  ?  Tell  me  what  it  is.  Have 
you — was  it  in  consequence  of  rescuing  your  sister  ? 
Have  you  had  some  fight  or  other  ? " 

I  told  her  in  as  few  words  as  I  could,  glad  to  turn 
her  thoughts  from  the  wish  to  caress  me.  When  I 
had  to  admit  that  it  was  a  slight  sword  thrust,  how- 
ever, she  insisted  upon  seeing  the  wound  as  well  as 
the  places  where  I  had  torn  my  arm  in  the  efforts  to 
get  rid  of  my  bonds. 

No  one  could  fail  to  see  her  care  was  prompted  by 
deep  feeling. 

I  took  off  my  coat  and  just  turned  up  my  sleeve 
to  satisfy  her  curiosity,  and  held  out  my  arm  for  her 
to  see,  laughing  half  shamefacedly  as  I  did  so,  to 
assure  her  there  was  no  cause  for  real  anxiety,  and 
that  she  was  making  much  of  nothing. 

But  the  effect  it  had  on  her  was  startling  indeed. 

After  glancing  at  the  marks  which  were  fast  dying 
away,  for  my  skin  always  heals  very  rapidly,  she 
smoothed  them  gently  and  kissed  them. 

"  It  is  the  left  arm,  Alexis,  always  the  left  arm," 
she  said,  glancing  up  with  a  smile,  and  speaking  as 
if  there  were  some  special  significance  in  the  fact — 
though  what  that  could  be  I  could  not  even  guess,  of 
course. 

The  chief  mark  was  on  the  lower  part  of  the  upper 
arm,  just  above  the  elbow,  and  when  she  h^  kissed 


244  By  Right  of  Sword 

it  and  had  turned  it  round  so  that  the  front  part  ot 
the  forearm,  where  the  muscles  are  broadest,  was  in 
full  view,  I  felt  her  start  violently,  and  heard  her 
catch  her  breath  quickly,  as  if  with  a  gasp  of  sur- 
prise. 

She  stared  at  it  for  fully  a  minute  without  raising 
her  eyes,  her  only  gesture  being  to  pass  her  fingers 
across  the  muscles  twice. 

When  she  raised  her  eyes  and  looked  at  me,  there 
was  an  astounding  change  in  her  face.  She  was  as 
white  as  death,  and  trembled  so  violently  that  even 
her  face  quivered,  while  her  eyes  were  fixed  on  me 
with  an  expression  of  wildness  and  mingled  emotions 
such  as  I  could  not  read  or  even  guess  at. 

"  Are  you  ill  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  started  again  as  I  spoke ;  and  her  lips  merely 
moved  very  slightly  as  she  moistened  them  with  her 
tongue. 

And  all  the  time  she  kept  the  same  staring, 
strained,  frowning,  questioning  look  fixed  on  me. 

"What's  the  matter?"  I  cried  again.  "Are  you 
ilJ  ?  "  I  thought  she  was  in  for  a  fit  of  some  kind. 

But  all  she  did  was  to  continue  to  stare  with  the 
same  indescribable  intensity,  the  heavy  brows  clos- 
ing together  as  the  frown  deepened  on  her  fore- 
head. 

"My  God!" 

The  exclamation  seemed  to  be  wrung  from  her  in 
sheer  pain  of  thought. 

She  took  hold  of  my  arm  again  and  examined  the 
same  place  once  more  with  briefer  but  no  less  fierce 
scrutiny. 

Then  looking  up  again  into  my  face  she  let  the 
arm  fall.  She  seemed  to  shrink  from  me  as  she 
drew  in  one  long,  deep,  shivering  breath  that  sounded 


The  Beginning  of  the  End       245 

between  her  teeth.  Next  she  turned  away  and  sat 
down,  pressing  both  her  hands  to  her  face. 

Every  vestige  of  feeling  and  passion  had  passed, 
leaving  only  the  close,  concentrated,  strained  ten- 
sion. The  colour  had  left  her  cheeks,  and  the 
roundness  and  beauty  of  her  face  appeared  to  have 
been  transformed  in  a  moment  into  a  veritable  pre- 
sentment of  lean,  haggard,  vigilant  doubt. 

Many  minutes  passed  before  either  of  us  spoke. 
Then  she  got  up  and  again  came  quite  close  to  me, 
and  staring  right  into  my  eyes,  asked  in  a  voice  all 
changed  and  unmusical — a  sort  of  keen,  piercing 
whisper,  that  seemed  to  send  a  chill  through  me — • 
while  she  pointed  to  my  arm : — 

"  What  does  it  mean  ?     Who  are  you  ?  " 

I  returned  the  look  steadily,  but  bit  my  lip  nearly 
through  as  I  guessed  well  enough  the  discovery  she 
had  made.  I  answered  lightly : — 

"  Excellently  acted.      But  what  is  it  all  about  ?  " 

"  Who  are  you?  That  tells  me  who  you  are  not." 
She  spoke  in  the  same  hard  discordant  whisper,  and 
pointed  to  my  arm  again. 

"  Are  you  mad  ?  "  I  cried  sternly.  "  What  do  you 
mean  by  this  pretence  ?  " 

Her  only  answer  was  to  stare  with  the  same  stony 
intensity  into  my  eyes. 

"  Shall  I  send  for  my  own  sister  to  identify  me  ?  " 
I  cried,  with  what  I  intended  as  sarcastic  emphasis. 
But  the  effect  of  my  question  quite  disconcerted  me. 

It  broke  her  down  and  with  a  cry  that  was  almost 
a  scream,  she  threw  herself  into  a  chair  and  gave 
vent  to  emotions  that  were  no  longer  controllable. 

For  an  hour  she  was  in  this  semi-hysterical  condi- 
tion ;  and  I  could  guess  the  leading  thought  of  her 
frenzy.  If  I  was  not  the  man  she  had  believed,  she 


346  By  Right  of  Sword 

would  jump  to  the  thought  that  Olga  and  I  were 
lovers,  and  not  brother  and  sister.  Her  jealousy 
made  her  a  madwoman. 

By  the  time  she  had  recovered  from  her  frenzy  I 
had  resolved  on  my  course.  The  only  thing  possible 
was  to  hold  strenuously  to  the  old  deception.  What 
had  shaken  her  belief  in  me,  I  could  not,  of  course, 
«ven  guess.  If  by  any  means  she  could  make  her 
words  good,  it  was  clear  she  carried  my  life  in  her 
hands.  Strong  as  the  story  which  she  had  concocted 
as  to  my  supposed  crime  would  have  been  against  the 
real  Alexis,  it  was  a  hundred  times  stronger  as  told 
against  someone  impersonating  Alexis  for  what  she 
would  of  course  declare  were  Nihilist  purposes.  The 
mere  fact  of  the  impersonation  would  be  accepted  as 
proof  of  guilt  in  everything :  while  Olga's  share  in 
the  conspiracy  would  render  her  liable  to  a  punish- 
ment only  less  in  extent  than  mine. 

As  I  thought  of  all  this,  my  rage  against  the  wom- 
an passed  almost  beyond  control;  but  I  forced  it 
back  and  listened  when  she  spoke — telling  me  of  all 
the  things  which  had  made  me  seem  so  different. 
My  conduct  to  her ;  my  manner ;  my  lack  of  love ; 
the  difference  in  looks,  in  gestures,  and  in  what  I 
said  and  the  way  I  said  it ;  the  thousand  things  that 
had  set  her  wondering  at  the  change  in  me. 

Then  she  spoke  of  the  change  in  my  sister's  con 
duct;  how  a  word  from  me  had  made  her  friendly 
where  a  thousand  words  before  had  failed.  And 
when  she  spoke  and  thought  of  Olga,  she  seemed  to 
lose  again  all  self-control;  declaring  she  had  been 
made  a  tool  and  a  dupe  of  for  some  purposes  of  our 
own. 

My  protestations  were  of  no  avail.  She  brushed 
them  aside  with  abrupt  contempt*  and  when  I  tried 


The  Beginning  of  the  End        247 

to  find  out  indirectly  what  her  proof  was,  she  laughed 
angrily  and  would  not  tell  me. 

"  I  will  tell  you  when  I  bid  you  good-bye  for 
Siberia,  or  see  you  for  the  last  time  in  the  con- 
demned cell.  You  shall  not  die  in  ignorance,"  she 
said :  and  then  she  went  on  to  dwell  with  horrible 
detail  upon  the  punishments  that  were  in  store  for 
both  Oiga  and  myself. 

But  she  overdid  it  all ;  and  shewed  me  her  weak 
point.  She  thus  gave  me  a  clue  to  my  best  tactics. 
Her  feeling  was  not  hate  of  me,  but  jealousy  of  Olga. 
This  strange  and  most  impulsive  woman  had  had  her 
love  tricked  as  well  as  her  judgment;  and  the  love 
which  she  had  had  for  Olga's  brother  was  now  trans- 
ferred to  me.  Her  chief  fear  was  lest  Olga  was 
really  to  come  between  us.  When  she  stopped,  I 
tested  her. 

"  You  have  found  a  ridiculous  mare's  nest,"  I  said, 
with  a  short  laugh.  "  And  I  have  something  more 
important  to  do  than  to  listen  to  your  fictions.  If 
you  think  there  is  any  truth  in  the  thing,  by  ali 
means  tell  all  you  know.  But  I  warn  you  before- 
hand you  will  fail — fail  ignominiously ;  and  what  is 
more,  lose  all  you  have  said  you  wish  to  gain.  My 
great  object  now  is  to  get  Olga  out  of  the  country, 
so  that  I  may  be  free  to  carry  out  my  plans." 

She  looked  up  as  I  spoke,  and  I  saw  the  light  of 
hope  in  her  eyes. 

"  That  you  may  follow  her,  I  suppose  you  mean?  '* 

"You  can  suppose  what  you  please,"  I  answered, 
shortly.  "  If  you  wish  to  break  off  all  between  us 
by  this  ridiculous  story,  do  so.  But  bear  in  mind, 
it  is  your  act,  not  mine ;  and  when  once  done,  done 
irrevocably." 

She  wrung  her  hands  in  indecision. 


248  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  Can  I  trust  you  ?  " 

"  Can  you  get  me  a  permit  for  Olga  to  leave  the 
country?  That's  more  to  the  point." 

"Yes — alone."  There  was  a  world  of  meaning  in 
that  single  word. 

"Then  get  it;  and  as  soon  as  a  railway  engine 
can  drag  her  across  the  frontier,  she  will  be  out  of 
Russia,  and  out  of  my  way,  much  to  my  relief." 

She  sat  silent  in  perplexity. 

"You  can't  go!  You  shan't  go!"  she  cried. 
"You  have  made  me  do  these  things,  whoever  you 
are,  and  you  must  stay — for  me." 

I  smiled.  I  had  won.  Then  I  changed  as  it  were 
to  a  rather  fanatical  Nihilist,  and  cried  warmly : — 

"  The  ties  that  keep  me  here,  Paula,  are  ties  of 
death  and  blood;  and  such  as  no  woman's  hand  can 
either  fashion  or  destroy." 

She  looked  at  me  long  and  intently  and  put  her 
hands  on  my  arms  and  her  face  close  up  to  mine 
and  said  in  a  soft,  seductive  tone  : — 

"  If  I  get  that  permit,  all  shall  be  as  it  was  ?  " 

"  All  shall  be  as  it  was,  Paula,"  I  answered,  adopt- 
ing her  equivocal  phrase,  and  bent  and  kissed  her  on 
the  forehead.  But  I  was  playing  for  a  big  stake : 
Olga's  life  probably,  and  my  own  certainly:  and  I 
could  not  afford  the  luxury  of  absolute  candour  at 
that  crisis  of  the  game. 

But  I  did  not  win  without  conditions. 

"  I  will  get  it,"  she  said ;  "  but  you  remember  what 
I  told  you  before.  I  repeat  it  now.  You  are  more 
surely  mine  than  ever ;  more  surely  than  ever  in  my 
power,  Alexis."  She  emphasised  the  word  and  a 
glance  shewed  me  her  meaning.  "  And  we  must  be 
married  secretly  within  three  days  from  now.  I 
will  make  the  arrangements." 


The  Beginning  of  the  End       249 

"As  you  will,"  I  replied;  and  I  felt  glad  that  in  a 
measure  her  resort  to  this  compulsion  gave  me  a 
sort  of  justification  for  misleading  her. 

In  less  than  three  days  the  Czar's  visit  would  be 
over  and  I  should  either  be  dead  or  out  of  Russia. 

But  Olga  would  be  saved ;  and  that  would  be  much. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

CHECKMATE ! 

As  soon  as  Paula  Tueski  left  me  I  went  round  to  Olga 
to  endeavour  to  solve  the  riddle  of  the  woman's  dis- 
covery. Olga  was  out  and  would  not  return  for  an 
hour.  Leaving  word  that  I  wished  to  see  her  par- 
ticularly and  that  she  was  to  wait  for  me,  I  went  for 
a  walk  to  try  and  order  my  thoughts. 

Finding  myself  near  the  Princess  Weletsky's  house, 
and  knowing  that  I  had  to  keep  up  the  semblance  of 
attentions  there,  I  called.  She  received  me  with 
marks  of  the  most  warm  regard  and  welcome. 

"I  have  heard  much  of  what  happened  at  that 
wretched  Devinsky's  house.  Old  Fedor  who  went 
with  you  told  me  much  and  my  brother  much  also ; 
but  I  would  rather  hear  all  from  you.  Where  is 
Olga  ?  You  were  wounded,  I  hear.  What  was  it  ? 
Tell  me — tell  me.  I  have  been  dying  with  anxiety 
for  you." 

I  told  her  shortly  what  had  happened ;  and  then 
it  occurred  to  me  to  try  and  get  her  help  in  regard 
to  Olga.  I  drew  a  fancy  picture  of  Olga's  shattered 
nerves ;  that  Moscow  had  become  a  place  of  terror 
to  her ;  and  that  even  Russia  itself  was  distasteful  to 
her  for  a  time  on  Devinsky's  account. 

"  Do  you  think  that  a  man  like  Devinsky  would 
dare  to  lay  so  much  as  a  finger  on  one  of  our  family  ?  " 


Checkmate  25 1 

she  asked,  checkmating  me  quietly  with  a  single  pro 
noun. 

"It's  not  what  Devinsky  dares,  but  what  Olga 
fears." 

"  She  did  not  strike  me  as  a  girl  of  nervous  fears." 

"  No ;  she  does  not  shew  it  even  to  me. " 

"  Then  we  can  do  better  than  drive  the  poor  child 
away  from  home — punish  Devinsky.  Tell  her  that 
he  is  already  under  arrest." 

"Is  that  so,  indeed?  "  I  asked,  in  some  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Certainly ;  his  murderous  attack  on  you  when  you 
were  on  the  Emperor's  special  duty  is  a  crime  that 
will  cost  him  dear.  Those  who  play  us  false,  Lieu- 
tenant Petrovitch,  must  beware  of  us.  But  our 
friends  find  the  ways  made  easy  for  them.  Did  not 
my  brother  tell  you  that  Olga  was  to  be  protected  as 
one  of  us,  and  therefore  avenged,  if  wronged  ?  " 

"  She  will  be  glad  to  feel  safe,"  I  replied  quietly. 
I  knew  what  she  meant ;  and  with  a  look  that  seemed 
to  imply  much,  I  added : — "  I  am  glad  to  be  one  of 
your  friends."  I  was  getting  such  an  adept  in  the 
suggestion  of  a  lie,  that  much  more  practice  would 
make  it  difficult  for  me  to  tell  the  plain  truth. 

My  companion  flushed  with  pleasure. 

"  I  always  felt  I  should  not  count  on  you  in  vain," 
she  said. 

"  No  woman  has  ever  done  that,  I  trust,"  was  my 
answer.  "  No  woman  ever  could  for  whom  I  felt  as 
I  feel  for  you."  And  with  that,  and  a  little  more  to 
the  same  effect,  I  left  her. 

I  went  round  to  Olga's  at  once.  It  was  a  blessing 
that  with  her  there  need  be  no  secret  meanings  and 
insinuations. 

She  received  me,  of  ^oi\rse,  with  a  smile. 


252  By  Right  of  Sword 

"Is  this  a  pretence  to  see  me,  or  really  some- 
thing?" she  asked  with  a  laugh. 

"  I  think  it  is  really  something  or  I  should  not 
have  dared  to  be  back  so  quickly.  Even  brothers 
may  be  bores. " 

Her  answer  was  a  pretty  one,  such  as  might  be  ex- 
pected from  a  lover,  but  I  need  not  repeat  it. 

"  First,  I  will  tell  you  the  news,"  I  said,  after  a 
pause ;  and  I  told  her  about  the  arrest  of  Devinsky. 

"  These  people  strike  swiftly  and  secretly,  Alexis," 
she  said,  thoughtfully.  "  They  frighten  me.  Their 
power  is  almost  limitless.  How  hard  they  will  hit 
and  how  far  the  blow  will  reach,  if  they  ever  find  we 
are  fooling  them !"  She  sighed. 

"  The  frontier  is  their  limit :  and  we  must  pass  it." 

"  I  have  been  out  to-day  to  make  the  preparations 
for  flight.  I  suppose  I  must  go  ?  " — she  smiled  a 
sad  little  note  of  interrogation  at  me — "  and  if  so, 
the  sooner  the  better.  I  have  a  disguise,  and  shall 
start  to-night.  My  difficulty  will  be  of  course  at  the 
frontier.  I  am  going  to  stop  short  of  that  by  one 
station,  and  then  as  a  peasant  girl  try  to  get  over  on 
foot.  It  will  take  a  little  longer :  but  it  is  the  only 
chance. " 

"  No,  I  have  good  news  for  you  so  far  as  that  is 
concerned.  Madame  Tueski  will  get  you  a  permit  in 
some  name  or  other  and  then  you  can  cross  in  the 
train.  Far  better." 

"  You  have  seen  her  then  to-day?  "  A  shadow  of 
her  old  feelings  crossed  Olga's  face  as  she  asked  this. 

"  Yes,  I  have  seen  her,  and  she  is  eager  now  that 
you  shall  get  out  of  the  country." 

She  was  very  quickwitted  and  read  my  meaning 
instantly  from  my  words  and  tone. 

"Tell  me  everything.     There  is  more  bad  news 


Checkmate  253 

yet  to  be  told.  Has  she  guessed?  .  .  .  Ah,  I  al- 
ways feared  that  woman." 

"  Tell  me,  Olga,  ought  I  to  have  any  special  mark 
on  either  of  my  arms.  Any  birth-mark,  or  anything 
of  that  sort?" 

She  went  white  instantly. 

"  I  had  forgotten.  That  wretched  woman's  initials 
were  tattooed  in  small  letters  just  there  " — she  put 
her  ringer  on  the  place — "  I  saw  it  once  and  Alexis 
was  wild  with  me.  Has  she  seen  your  arm  bare?  " 

"  My  wound,"  I  said,  in  explanation. 

"  Oh,  dear,  through  me  again ;  through  me  again," 
cried  the  girl  in  distress.  I  took  her  in  my  arms  to 
soothe  her,  and  tried  to  make  her  understand  that 
after  all  it  was  really  a  good  thing  that  had  happened 
and  not  a  bad  one,  inasmuch  as  the  woman's  jealousy 
was  urging  her  to  help  in  getting  Olga  away.  I  told 
her  everything  frankly. 

But  this  was  not  all  a  clear  course,  as  may  be  im- 
agined. Olga  loved  me  very  dearly  and  trusted  me, 
I  believe,  as  implicitly  as  any  woman  could  trust  the 
man  she  loved.  But  she  was  a  woman  and  not  a 
goddess  :  and  she  could  not  bring  herself  to  like  the 
necessity  which  took  her  out  of  the  country  and  left 
me  behind  in  the  clutches  of  such  a  woman  as  Paula 
Tueski.  She  was  a  very  reasonable  little  soul,  how- 
ever, as  well  as  a  brave  one ;  and  before  I  left  her  I 
had  talked  her  into  a  condition  of  compulsory  resig- 
nation. 

I  did  not  attempt  to  disguise  from  myself,  though 
I  did  from  Olga,  the  fact  that  her  flight  after  my 
conversation  with  the  Princess  would  certainly  tend 
to  bring  suspicion  upon  me,  if  it  should  be  discovered. 
Any  secret  step  at  such  a  juncture  would  do  that.  I 
thought  I  had  better  see  the  Prince  himself,  therefore, 


254  %  Right  of  Sword 

lest  my  neglect  to  do  so  should  rouse  his  suspicions 
prematurely. 

I  went  to  him  from  Olga's  house,  and  when  I  was 
admitted,  after  a  little  delay  which  I  did  not  quite 
like,  I  found  him  as  gracious  as  ever. 

"I  am  very  busy,"  he  said,  shaking  hands  with 
me ;  "  but  have  time  to  hear  that  you  have  resolved 
to  join  us,  Lieutenant." 

"  I  have  come  now  only  to  thank  you  .  .  .  ." 

"  I  haven't  time  to  listen  to  that.  Your  sister  is 
again  in  Moscow ;  her  persecutor  is  in  the  care  of 
my  men ;  you  have  only  to  say  a  word  for  her  to  be 
his  judge.  Do  you  say  it  ?  " 

Seeing  me  hesitate,  he  paused  only  a  moment. 

"  When  a  man  like  you  doesn't  say  Yes,  directly, 
he  means,  No.  I  understand.  But — time  is  begin- 
ning to  press  with  much  force.  Make  up  your  mind ; 
and  don't  come  again  till  you  have  decided.  Under- 
stand what  that  means.  I  can't  see  you  again  until 
you  are  ready  to  say  Yes  or  No,  finally — finally. 
Then  come,  and  if  you  decide  no,  make  it  convenient 
before  you  come,  to  arrange  any  little  matters  that 
can  best  be  put  right  personally.  You  may  find  ob- 
stacles afterwards.  You  understand?  "  and  the  look 
which  accompanied  the  words  shewed  me  that  he 
meant  all  this  as  a  pretty  strong  turn  of  the  screw. 
"  Oh,  and  by  the  by,"  he  added,  just  as  I  was  leav- 
ing the  room — "  of  course  you  won't  attempt  to  get 
away.  You  may  if  you  like,  you  know,  but  you'll  be 
wise  not  to ;  because  I  have  certain  information  about 
you,  and  any  attempt  at  flight  at  such  a  juncture  as 
this  would  give  me  an  excellent  excuse  for  dealing 
very  summarily.  Understand — I  shall  only  see  you 
again  when  you  are  ready  to  give  me  your  decision. " 

My  anxiety  for  Olga  was  making  me  like  a  silly 


Checkmate  255 

frightened  boy;  and  I  went  away  from  the  man  now 
with  a  chilled  feeling  of  fear  that  set  me  doubting 
and  speculating  and  anticipating  a  thousand  forms 
of  trouble  which  he  could  inflict  upon  her.  I  should 
not  have  a  moment's  peace  of  mind  while  Olga  re- 
mained in  Russia.  That  was  certain. 

I  went  back  to  my  rooms  and  sat  there  thinking 
out  moodily  the  particulars  of  the  journey  which  the 
girl  had  to  take  alone,  and  my  fears  for  her  multi- 
plied with  almost  every  turn  of  my  thoughts.  Every 
detail  of  the  position  seemed  to  teem  with  additional 
menace  and  cause  for  alarm. 

I  had  my  own  escape  to  think  of  too.  I  resolved, 
let  the  risks  be  what  they  might,  that  the  instant 
Olga's  telegram  came  telling  me  she  had  crossed  the 
frontier,  I  should  bolt ;  and  the  manner  and  direction 
of  my  flight  had  cost  me  many  an  anxious  hour. 

I  had  been  looking  forward  to  the  possible  neces- 
sity for  a  hurried  flight  ever  since  I  had  started  the 
venture,  and  I  had  had  time  thus  to  make  my  plans 
fairly  complete.  For  this  purpose  I  had  used  my 
Nihilist  connection,  though  I  had  of  course  kept  my 
whole  plans  to  myself,  since  I  had  contemplated  run- 
ning away  from  the  Nihilists  as  much  as  from  any- 
one else. 

The  chief  difficulty  was  the  geographical  position 
of  Moscow :  the  very  kernel  of  Russia,  and  at  tre- 
mendous distances  from  all  the  frontiers.  My  escape 
must  be  obviously  a  matter  of  the  most  careful  plan- 
ning, seeing  that  I  should  probably  be  many  weeks, 
and  perhaps  months,  carrying  it  out.  From  the  first 
I  abandoned  all  thought  of  making  a  dash  straight 
for  the  frontier  by  train.  Every  outlet  of  the  kind 
would  be  watched  most  jealously,  alike  by  the  police 
and  the  Nihilists :  while  the  fact  of  Olga  slipping 


256  By  Right  of   Sword 

through  would  increase  a  thousandfold  the  vigilance 
to  prevent  my  following. 

If  Paula  Tueski  managed  to  get  the  permit,  Olga 
would  make  her  escape  quickly  by  train,  going  either 
northwest  to  St.  Petersburg  and  away  by  steamer  : 
or  west  across  the  German  frontier  or  southwest 
down  into  Austria.  Two  days  would  do  the  business. 

My  escape  was  to  be  a  very  different  affair. 

I  meant  to  leave  Moscow  on  foot  or  pony  back, 
disguised  as  a  peasant  woman,  and  as  soon  as  I  was 
well  clear  of  the  city,  some  20  or  30  miles  out,  I 
intended  to  change  that  disguise  and  play  the  part 
of  a  horse-dealer,  making  for  the  two  big  horse  fairs 
that  were  coming  on  soon  at  Rostov  and  Jaroslav — 
about  100  and  150  miles  north  respectively.  For  this 
purpose  I  proposed  to  buy  up  enough  horses  and  ponies 
on  my  way  to  divert  suspicion  and  sustain  my  part. 

At  Jaroslav  I  should  sell  these  for  what  they  would 
fetch  and  in  the  confusion  of  the  fair  time,  change 
my  character  again.  There  I  should  strike  the  Vol- 
ga :  and  my  plan  was  to  escape  by  river ;  working 
my  way  on  the  boats  down  to  Tsaritsin  and  thence 
-across  by  train  to  the  Don.  At  the  mouth  of  the 
Don,  or  at  Taganrog,  I  calculated  to  be  able  to  ship 
-on  a  steamer  across  the  Sea  of  Azov,  and  thence 
^across  the  Black  Sea,  and  out  through  the  Bosphorus. 

This  was  the  outline,  subject  of  course  to  any 
changes  which  necessity  or  expediency  should  sug- 
gest ;  and  I  preferred  it,  because  if  I  could  cut  the 
trail  between  Moscow  and  the  river,  that  was  about 
the  very  last  place  in  which  I  should  be  looked  for  ; 
while  the  time  that  must  be  occupied  on  the  river 
would  give  me  the  necessary  opportunity  for  obtain- 
ing such  papers  as  I  should  require  to  get  away. 

I  had  perfected  the  plan,  thought  out  many  of  its 


Checkmate  257 

details  and  discounted  its  risks,  and  had  laid  in  many 
of  the  necessary  disguises.  But  I  was  not  destined 
to  use  them ;  for  the  direction  of  matters  was  wrested 
out  of  my  hands  by  a  stroke  that  checkmated  me  com- 
pletely. 

In  the  afternoon  a  letter  came  to  me  from  Olga, 
vaguely  worded,  to  the  effect  that  Paula  Tueski  had 
sent  for  her  and  had  given  her  what  had  been  prom- 
ised, and  that  all  matters  were  now  complete.  She 
wished  me  to  see  her  at  seven  o'clock. 

I  scribbled  a  line  saying  I  would  be  there  at  the 
time. 

The  messenger,  Olga's  maid,  went  off  with  it :  and 
almost  before  I  thought  she  could  have  had  time  to 
get  home  and  back  again,  she  came  hurrying  in  again 
breathless  and  excited,  and  all  white  with  fear. 

I  thought  at  first  she  had  been  molested  in  some 
way  in  the  streets — Moscow  is  not  Eden — and  I 
asked  her  what  was  the  matter. 

The  reply,  uttered  in  gasps  and  jerks  of  terror  and 
with  spasmodic  sobs,  filled  me  in  my  turn  with  con- 
sternation. 

Olga  had  been  arrested  during  the  girl's  absence, 
and  my  aunt,  the  Countess  Palitzin,  was  like  a  mad- 
woman in  her  fear.  She  was  all  anxiety  to  see  me. 

"  Arrested ! "  I  cried,  scarcely  believing  my  own 
ears.  "  By  whom  ?  For  what  ?  " 

"  By  the  police ;  I  don't  know  for  what,"  wailed 
the  girl.  "  But  the  Countess  .  .  .  ." 

"I'll  go  to  her  at  once,"  I  cried,  interrupting  her; 
and  without  another  word  I  set  off  at  once  for  Olga's 
house,  with  the  greatest  haste. 

What  could  it  all  mean  ? 

Whose  blow  was  this  ?     Coming  at  such  a  moment, 
it  shattered  all  my  plans  to  fragments. 
if 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

CRISIS. 

I  FOUND  matters  just  as  Olga's  maid  had  told  me. 
The  Countess  was  in  the  deepest  distress,  and  was 
wringing  her  hands  and  crying  herself  blind  in  agita- 
tion and  alarm. 

Olga  had  been  out  in  the  afternoon,  she  told  me, 
and  had  come  back  considerably  excited.  She  had 
stayed  some  time  in  her  room,  and  the  maid  now  said 
she  had  been  turning  over  her  clothes.  I  knew  what 
this  meant.  Then  she  had  written  the  letter  to  me 
and  sent  the  girl  with  it ;  but  the  latter  had  scarcely 
left  the  house  before  the  police  had  arrived,  had 
asked  for  Olga,  and  had  arrested  her,  refusing  to  say 
a  single  word  as  to  the  cause. 

Olga  had  of  course  gone  with  them,  protesting  to 
the  Countess  that  there  must  be  some  mistake  and 
that  no  doubt  she  would  soon  be  again  at  liberty  and 
return  home.  When  kissing  her  aunt  the  girl  had 
whispered  to  her  to  tell  me  at  once,  with  an  assur- 
ance that  she  was  not  in  the  least  frightened. 

Knowing  what  I  knew  about  the  system  of  impris- 
onment in  Russia  and  how  common  a  thing  it  was 
for  a  prisoner  to  be  arrested  on  the  flimsiest  suspi- 
cion, to  enter  a  gaol  and  be  kept  from  all  communica- 
tion with  friends  and  family,  I  did  not  by  any  means 
share  the  calmness  she  had  professed.  The  sudden- 
ness of  the  arrest  combined  with  the  complete  over- 


Crisis  259 

throw  of  all  my  plans  incensed  me  beyond  measure. 
I  put  to  the  two  women  all  the  questions  that  occurred 
to  me,  but  got  no  further  light.  I  could  not  hide 
my  concern,  but  I  did  my  best  to  make  the  Countess 
Palitzin  believe  that  it  would  be  in  my  power  to  help 
Olga. 

I  hurried  from  the  house  to  Paula  Tueski.  I  reck- 
oned to  get  from  her  the  best  hint  as  to  where  my 
exertion  could  be  most  usefully  exerted.  But  I  did 
not  find  her  and  the  news  at  her  house  was  discon- 
certing somewhat.  She  had  been  called  for  suddenly 
and  had  gone  out,  leaving  no  word  where  she  was  to 
be  found  nor  when  she  would  return.  All  quite 
contrary  to  her  usual  custom. 

I  went  on  then  to  the  chief  police  office.  I  was 
in  uniform  of  course,  and  was  received  with  the 
greatest  politeness,  but  no  information  was  given  to 
me.  The  man  who  gave  me  an  interview  was  com- 
placency itself. 

"  I  am  grieved  to  be  able  to  give  you  no  infor- 
mation, Lieutenant,"  he  said,  politely.  "But  you 
know  how  our  hands  are  tied  and  how  one's  lips  are 
sealed  in  this  office.  In  anything  but  that  matter  I 
am  your  most  obedient  servant:  indeed,  if  in  that 
very  affair  you  can  suggest  how  I  can  be  of  service, 
I  pray  you  to  command  me." 

"  My  sister  was  arrested  by  your  men  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Most  arrests  are  carried  out  by  our  men,"  was 
the  reply. 

"What  is  the  charge  against  her?  " 

"  I  have  not  an  idea. " 

"  By  whose  orders  was  the  arrest  made  ?  '* 

"By  those  of  my  superiors.  I  have  but  to 
obey." 

"Where  is  she  now ?" 


260  By  Right  of  Sword 

For  answer  he  shrugged  his  shoulders,  snriled 
blandly,  and  shook  his  head  slowly. 

"  Can  I  see  her  ?  " 

"  Yes,  of  course — with  an  order." 

"Whose  order?" 

"Anyone  who  is  my  superior." 

"Can  you  give  me  an  order?"  He  repeated  his 
gesture,  murmuring  an  expression  of  regret. 

"  You  have  not  told  me  much,"  I  said,  and  he 
smiled  deprecatingly.  "  But  it  is  enough  to  tell  me 
where  I  must  look  for  information." 

His  smile  changed  to  one  of  congratulation,  and, 
rising,  he  gave  me  his  hand. 

"Lieutenant,  a  brave  man  like  you  shall  always 
command  my  sympathies  and  services  so  far  as  my 
duty  permits, "  and  with  that  official  reservation  he 
bowed  me  out  with  the  most  profuse  of  polite  gestures. 

I  thought  I  saw  from  where  the  stroke  came,  and 
without  any  longer  delay  I  hurried  to  the  Prince 
Bilbassoff. 

He  was  at  first  said  to  be  out ;  and  for  some  half 
hour  I  cooled  my  heels  and  warmed  my  temper  and 
impatience  striding  up  and  down  in  front  of  the 
building.  Then  he  was  denied  to  me  on  the  ground 
that  he  was  very  busily  engaged ;  and  only  when  I 
insisted  that  my  business  was  exceptionally  urgent 
and  personal,  was  I  admitted  to  an  antechamber  and 
left  waiting  there  with  some  half  dozen  others. 

The  servant  took  my  message,  but  instead  of  re- 
turning instantly,  as  had  been  my  previous  experi- 
ence, to  lead  me  at  once  to  the  Prince's  room,  I  was 
left  to  fume  in  my  impatience  for  several  minutes. 

I  rang  the  bell  angrily  and  when  the  servant  came 
ordered  him  to  shew  me  to  the  Prince  instantly. 
But  he  would  not,  saying  he  dared  not  without  orders 


Crisis  261 

from  his  master,  and  that  he  had  given  my  message 
and  could  do  no  more. 

I  augured  ill  from  this  reception,  but  was  in  no 
mood  to  brook  delay.  I  had  nothing  to  lose  now  by 
boldness,  and  as  soon  as  the  fellow  had  turned  his 
back  I  went  to  the  d^or  which  I  knew  to  be  that  of 
the  Prince's  room,  and  pushing  aside  the  man  who 
stood  on  guard  outside,  knocked,  opened  it,  and 
marched  in  unceremoniously. 

The  Prince  was  in  close  conference  with  a  couple 
of  men  and  when  he  saw  me  he  jumped  up  and  asked 
me  how  I  dared  to  intrude  in  that  way. 

"  I  have  something  urgent  and  private  to  say  to 
you,"  said  I,  coolly.  "  If  these  gentlemen  will  give 
us  five  minutes  it  will  be  enough. " 

A  moment's  reflection  sufficed  to  change  his  anger 
to  equanimity,  forced  or  genuine,  I  didn't  care  which, 
and  he  dismissed  the  men. 

"There  can  be  only  one  reason  why  you  come 
here,"  he  said,  as  soon  as  we  were  alone,  speaking  in 
a  very  sharp  tone. 

"  On  the  contrary  there  may  be  two,"  I  replied, 
copying  his  sharpness. 

"  The  only  condition  on  which  I  can  receive  you, 
Lieutenant,  is  the  one  I  told  you  some  hours  since. 
Have  you  come  to  comply  with  it  ?  " 

"  I  have  come  to  ask  you  why  you  have  arrested 
my  sister  and  where  she  is." 

''Arrested  whom?  "  he  asked,  with  a  sharp  look  I 
didn't  understand. 

"  My  sister. " 

"  Who  is  that?  "  This  with  a  smile  of  indescrib- 
able meaning. 

"  You  knew  well  enough  when  I  was  here  this 
afternoon/* 


262  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  knew  no  more  than  I  know 
now.  I  don't  even  know  that  you  have  a  sister. 
Have  you  ?  " 

Either  the  man  was  a  lunatic,  or  he  knew  every- 
thing. Here  was  obviously  the  reason  of  the  altered 
reception.  But  I  would  not  betray  myself  by  a  sin- 
gle word  or  gesture. 

"I  am  speaking  of  my  sister,  Olga  Petrovitch, 
whom  you  rescued  from  the  hands  of  Major  Devin- 
sky.  How,  do  you  know  what  I  mean?  " 

"  No,"  he  answered  stolidly. 

"  Well,  do  you  know  whom  I  mean  ?  " 

"  I  know  of  Olga  Petrovitch. " 

"  Then  what  the  devil  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  cried  an- 
grily. "You  have  arrested  her,  haven't  you?  " 

"  She  has  been  arrested,"  he  answered  quietly. 

"What  for?" 

"  You  seem  very  anxious  on  her  account." 

"  Would  you  have  a  man  indifferent  when  his  sister 
is  whisked  off  to  gaol  by  the  police  devils  of  yours  ?  " 

"Indifferent?  No,  indeed;  certainly  not.  Even 
I  am  not  indifferent  about  it.  It  has  been  of  the 
utmost  use  to  me,  in  fact." 

"  How  long  are  you  going  to  keep  up  these  riddles, 
Prince?  I  don't  pretend  to  be  your  equal  at  that 
kind  of  fence,  and  as  it's  perfectly  evident  to  me  you 
think  you  have  a  knotted  whip  for  my  back  I'll  wait 
till  you're  ready  to  lay  it  on." 

He  laughed  at  that. 

"Are  you  going  to  accept  my  conditions?"  he 
asked. 

"  It  will  depend  absolutely  on  the  result  of  this 
interview." 

He  paused  half  a  minute  and  then  taking  a  paper 
from  his  pocket  tossed  it  to  me  with  a  laugh- 


Crisis  263 

w  Here's  the  key.  How  do  you  read  it  ? "  he  asked 
lightly. 

It  was  indeed  the  key,  and  the  instant  my  eyes  fell 
on  it  I  saw  everything. 

It  was  the  permit  found  on  Olga. 

The  game  was  up ;  but  I  wouldn't  play  the  craven. 

I  tossed  it  back  to  him  and  laughed,  a  more  nat- 
ural and  mirthful  laugh  than  his,  though  I  scented 
death  in  the  air. 

"  I  understand  it  pretty  well, "  I  said,  as  lightly  as 
he  had  spoken.  "  But  if  you  don't  mind  I  think  I'll 
keep  my  own  counsel." 

"  You  know  what  it  means?  "  he  asked. 

"To  me? "     He  nodded.     "I  can  guess,"  I  said. 

"And  to  her?" 

'*  No,  I  don't  know  that.  But  I  know  your  law  is 
damned  hard  on  women." 

"  And  this  Tueski  woman — why  did  she  get  this 
permit  for — your  sister?  "  He  paused  on  the  word. 

"  Wanted  her  out  of  the  way,  that's  all." 

"  Is  what  she  says  true — all  true  ?  " 

"That  depends  on  what  she  says." 

"  It's  a  strange  tale.  That  you're  not  what  you 
call  yourself ;  that  you've  taken  the  place  of  Lieu- 
tenant Alexis  Petrovitch ;  that  you're  a  Nihilist  of 
the  Nihilists ;  that  you  murdered  her  husband ;  and 
that  she  has  the  proofs  of  all  this." 

"  Why  did  you  arrest  her  ? "  I  asked,  as  an  idea 
'occurred  to  me. 

"  That,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  permit. 

"  Did  she  volunteer  her  statement  ?  " 

A  laugh  of  diabolical  cunning  spread  over  his  face. 

"  Yes — when  she  believed  you  had  deceived  her 
and  had  fled  with — your  sister.  Boy,  no  one  can 
guard  himself  against  a  jealous  Russian  woman." 


264  By  Right  of  Sword 

"  Now,  I  see  a  little  more  clearly.  But  why  did 
yon  arrest  Olga  Petrovitch  ?  " 

"Your  visit  to  my  sister  this  afternoon.  You 
were  too  solicitous  for  the  poor  girl's  nerves,  and  we 
thought  it  might  be  better  for  you.  to  know  that  she 
was  in  safe  guardianship  until  you  had  made  your 
decision.  There  would  at  any  rate  be  no  pressing 
need  for  you  to  think  of  her  leaving  the  country;  or 
feel  it  desirable  to  go  with  her  to  take  care  of  her  in 
her  shattered  condition.  And  we  were  right.  But 
even  I  did  not  expect  a  tithe  of  all  that  has  come 
from  the  step.  It  is  indeed  seldom  that  I  get  so 
genuine  a  surprise." 

"  And  what  are  you  going  to  do — now?  " 
"How  much  of  this  woman's  tale  is  true? " 
"  One  third  of  it.     I  am  not  Alexis  Petrovitch ; 
but  neither  am  I  a  Nihilist,  nor  a  murderer." 
"  Who  are  you  ?  " 

"  An  Englishman — Hamylton  Tregethner. " 
"  But  your  speech — your  accent — your  Russian  ?  " 
"  I  was  brought  up  in  Moscow  for  the  first  sixteen 
years  of  my  life." 

"Tregethner,  Hamylton  Tregethner,"  he  mur- 
mured, repeating  the  name  as  if  it  were  not  wholly 
unfamiliar  to  him.  Then  after  a  pause  he  asked  me 
where  the  real  Lieutenant  Petrovitch  was ;  and  ques- 
tioned me  searchingly  and  very  shrewdly  as  to  the 
whole  details  of  my  change  of  identity.  I  concealed 
nothing. 

"You  English  are  devils,"  he  said,  when  his  ques- 
tions were  nearly  exhausted.  "  I  hate  the  lot  of  you 
— except  you.  And  you're  as  big  a  devil  as  any  of 
them.  But  you  have  the  pluck  of  a  hundred." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders,  laughed,  lolled  back  in 
my  chair  and  lighted  a  cigarette. 


Crisis  265 

"I've  enjoyed  it,"  I  said,  "and  that's  the  plain 
truth.  I  didn't  like  the  lies  I  had  to  tell ;  but  then 
I  never  had  any  training  in  the  diplomatic  service, 
and  that  makes  the  difference.  But  all  the  same  I've 
enjoyed  it ;  and  what's  more,  if  it  had  been  possible, 
I'd  have  fought  for  the  Little  Father  as  keenly  as 
any  born  Russ  in  the  ranks.  But  it's  over,  and  so 
far  as  I'm  concerned,  you  can  do  what  you  like  with 
me.  I  should  like  to  save  that  girl.  She's  one  in 
ten  thousand  for  pluck.  And  you  owe  her  something, 
too,  as  she  saved  my  life  from  a  treacherous  thrust  of 
Devinsky's  sword  for  you  to  take  it.  You  might  let 
her  have  her  liberty  in  its  place.  It's  infernally  hard 
on  the  girl  that  her  cowardly  brute  of  a  brother 
should  let  her  in  for  all  this  mess ;  and  then  that  I, 
with  all  the  good  will  in  the  world,  should  thrust 
her  deeper  into  the  mud.  It's  damned  hard !  " 

The  prince  was  watching  me  closely  and  thinking 
hard. 

"  Why  did  you  hesitate  to  accept  my  proposal  ?  " 
he  asked,  sharply. 

"  For  a  very  plain  reason.  While  I  appreciated 
the  honour  and  advantage  of  an  alliance  with  your 
sister,  I  loved  Olga  Petrovitch,  and  preferred  to  marry 
her." 

"  I  won't  tell  my  sister  that,"  he  said,  laughing 
sardonically.  After  a  pause  he  added : — "  How  much 
does — your  sister  know  of  our  matter?  " 

"  Everything. " 

"  Names  ?  "  and  he  stared  as  if  to  penetrate  right 
into  my  brain. 

"  No — not  of  the  man  to  be  fought." 

"  On  your  honour  ?  " 

"  On  my  honour." 

M  If  she  is  released,  will  you  go  on  with  it  ?  " 


266  By  Right  of  Sword 

"If  she  is  put  across  the  frontier,"  I  returned 
grimly. 

"  Don't  you  trust  me  ?  " 

"  You,  yes ;  but  your  agents,  no."     He  smiled. 

"  You  should  go  far  with  the  daring  with  which 
you  push  your  fortunes." 

"  Probably  I  shall  go  on  till  my  head  falls  by  the 
wayside,"  I  answered.  I  was  utterly  reckless  now. 
But  my  tactics  succeeded  when  nothing  else  could 
have  won. 

He  took  a  form  and  wrote. 

"  Here  is  the  permit  for  her  to  leave  the  country. 
It  is  yours — on  conditions." 

"  What  are  they  ?  Never  mind  what  they  are,"  I 
added,  quickly.  "  I  accept  them  in  advance.  Save 
that  girl,  who  is  innocent,  and  do  what  you  like  with 
me." 

"  Do  you  know  what  I  ought  to  do  with  you  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"Yes;  better  than  you  do.  Write  me  a  permit 
also  and  have  me  conducted  to  the  frontier  at  the 
same  time.  But  I  don't  know  what  you  think  you 
should  do. " 

"  I  ought  to  write  out  a  very  different  order  and 
have  you  both  sent  straight  to  the  Mallovitch  yonder ; 
and  let  things  take  their  course." 

"  Well,  it's  fortunate  for  me  then,"  I  replied,  with 
a  laugh,  "  that  your  interest  and  your  judgment  pull 
different  ways.  You  won't  do  that,  Prince." 

"  How  do  I  know  that  you  are  not  a  Nihilist?" 

"  Instinct,  judgment,  knowledge  of  men,  knowledge 
of  me — everything.  Besides,  if  you  want  proof,  no 
one  knows  better  than  yourself  that  a  cipher  telegram 
sent  to  London,  and  inquiries  made  in  half  a  dozen 
places  that  I  can  mention,  will  put  ample  proofs  in 


Crisis  267 

your  hands  to  shew  who  I  am.  So  far  as  I  know 
there's  one  man  in  Russia  at  the  present  moment  and 
actually  coming  to  Moscow,  who'll  stir  up  the  British 
Legation  and  every  British  consulate  in  the  country 
to  the  search  for  Hamylton  Tregethner.  That's  the 
Hon.  Rupert  Balestier."  Then  I  told  him  what  had 
happened  in  Paris.  At  first  he  smiled,  but  soon 
grew  thoughtful  again. 

"I  warn  you,  too,"  I  added,  when  he  made  no  an- 
swer, "  that  if  you  chop  my  head  off  or  stifle  me  in 
one  of  your  infernal  prisons,  or  send  me  packing  to 
Siberia,  Balestier  is  just  the  man  to  raise  a  devil  of 
a  clatter.  And  you  don't  want  a  row  with  our  For- 
eign Office  just  at  the  moment  when  things  are  so 
ticklish  with  the  Sick  Man. " 

He  waved  his  hand  as  if  to  put  all  such  considera- 
tions away  from  him. 

"  If  the  girl  you  call  your  sister  had  got  away,  did 
you  mean  to  try  to  escape  ?  " 

"  Certainly  I  did,"  replied  I,  frankly,  and  I  told 
him  the  scheme  I  had  formed. 

"  And  now?  " 

"  If  I  give  my  word  I  shall  keep  it.  You  Rus- 
sians never  seem  to  think  a  man  will  keep  his  parole 
to  his  own  disadvantage.  We  English  think  differ- 
ently— and  act  as  we  think." 

"  If  we  postpone  this  talk  till  to-morrow,  have  I 
your  word  that  you'll  make  no  attempt  to  escape?  " 

"No,  indeed,  you  haven't.  Let  this  girl  go  at 
once;  then  you  can  have  it  and  welcome." 

"  You  seem  to  forget  that  I  can  keep  you  under 
guard?" 

"  I  forget  nothing  of  the  kind.  Clap  me  into  a 
prison  and  you  may  whistle  for  anyone  to  carry  out 
-—to  do  what  you  wish.  You  can  decide  now,  or  lose 


268  By  Right  of  Sword 

the  option.  That's  in  the  rules  of  a  game  like 
this. " 

"You  carry  things  with  a  high  hand,"  he  cried 
angrily. 

"  Most  probably  I  shouldn't  be  here  if  I  didn't," 
said  I,  with  a  laugh.  "It's  my  advantage  to  force 
the  pace  at  this  juncture;  and  the  risk's  too  big  to 
throw  away  a  single  chance." 

He  made  no  reply,  but  pushing  back  his  chair  got 
up  and  walked  about  the  room,  in  a  state  of  indeci- 
sion absolutely  foreign  to  his  character  and  habits. 

I  knew  how  momentous  the  decision  was.  If  I 
were  the  dangerous  Nihilist  that  Paula  Tueski  had 
declared,  the  risk  of  letting  me  free  and  entrusting 
to  me  such  a  task  as  that  we  had  discussed  was  criti- 
cal and  deadly.  The  Russian  instinct  was  to  clap  me 
into  a  gaol  and  be  done  with  me ;  but  the  personal 
feeling  pulled  him  in  the  other  direction — to  use  me 
for  a  tool  in  the  project  that  was  all  in  all  to  him. 
With  the  Grand  Duke  once  out  of  his  path  there  was 
nothing  between  him  and  almost  absolute  rule. 

I  watched  him  with  an  anxiety  he  little  suspected, 
for  my  manner  was  studiously  careless,  indifferent, 
and  reckless. 

"  Did  you  give  this  girl  any  particular  task  if  she 
escaped?"  he  asked,  stopping  suddenly  in  his  walk 
close  to  me. 

"  Certainly ;  to  find  Rupert  Balestier,  tell  him  of 
my  position,  and  get  him  to  try  and  smooth  away  the 
difficulties.  I  had  also  arranged  how  she  could  com- 
municate with  and  find  me  if  I  managed  to  get 
away. " 

He  took  the  answer  as  I  gave  it  with  perfect  frank- 
ness, and  it  seemed  to  help  his  decision.  He  resumed 
his  pacing  backwards  and  fonvards. 


Crisis  269 

Two  or  three  minutes  later  he  stopped  his  walk  and 
taking  the  permit  he  had  written  held  it  out  to  me. 

"  Will  you  give  me  your  word  as  an  English  gen- 
tleman that  if  I  give  you  this  and  allow  the  girl  to 
leave  Russia,  you  will  make  no  attempt  to  escape, 
and  will  go  on  with  the  proposal  we  have  dis^ 
cussed  ? " 

It  was  my  turn  to  hesitate  now. 

"  No,  I  cannot,"  I  said  after  a  moment's  thought. 
"  An  Englishman  cannot  lend  himself  out  as  an  as- 
sassin, Prince  Bilbassoff.  I  will  do  this.  I  will  give 
you  my  word  of  honour  not  to  attempt  to  leave  Rus- 
sia, and  if  a  meeting  between  the  Grand  Duke  and 
myself  can  be  arranged  without  dishonour  to  me,  I 
pledge  myself  to  meet  him.  I  will  never  take  that 
word  back  unless  you  release  me;  but  more  I  cannot 
do.  Let  Olga  Petrovitch  go,  and  you  shall  do  as  you 
will  with  me." 

"  I  take  your  word,"  he  said,  quietly.  "  Your 
identity  will  remain  unknown.  Your  sister  will 
leave  for  the  frontier  under  escort  at  midnight.  You 
can  take  the  news  to  her,  and  she  can  leave  with  you 
to  make  her  arrangements  for  departure.  I  hold  you 
responsible  for  her ;  and  you  will  explain  only  what 
is  necessary  to  her.  You  remain  a  Russian." 

And  with  the  permit  and  the  order  for  her  instant 
release  in  my  hand  I  left  him,  conscious  that  I  had 
been  brushing  my  back  against  a  dungeon  door  the 
whole  time  and  had  only  just  escaped  finding  myself 
on  the  wrong  side  of  it 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

COILS    THAT    NO    MAN    COULD    BREAK. 

POOR  Olga !  I  shall  not  easily  forget  the  effect  the 
news  had  on  her. 

I  went  out  from  the  interview  impregnated  with 
the  conviction  that  I  was  now  indeed  hopelessly 
baffled.  I  saw  how  completely  the  whole  position 
had  been  changed.  The  very  axis  had  shifted.  And 
the  knowledge  that  I  had  to  make  Olga  understand 
it  all  before  she  left  Russia  was  more  unpalatable  and 
depressing  than  I  can  describe. 

Up  to  the  present  moment  there  had  indeed  been 
the  slight  off-chance  that  we  should  both  escape,  and 
the  knowledge  that  if  we  could  only  do  so,  we  might 
find  happiness  in  another  country.  But  that  hope 
was  as  dead  as  a  coffin  nail.  I  was  bound  to  Moscow 
by  a  shackle  more  powerful  than  iron  fetters.  I  had 
pledged  myself  not  to  attempt  to  go  until  the  Prince 
himself  had  given  me  permission ;  and  I  knew  that 
he  would  never  think  of  doing  this  until  the  duel  had 
been  in  some  way  arranged.  On  the  other  hand  the 
Nihilist  attack  on  the  Emperor  was  to  be  made  in 
two  days'  time.  If  it  succeeded  an  ignominious 
death  at  the  hands  of  the  law  could  be  the  only  re- 
sult for  me;  while  if  it  failed,  death  was  almost  as 
certain  at  the  hands  of  the  Nihilists  who  would  ad- 
judge me  their  betrayer. 

Between  the  upper  and   nethrr  millstone   I  was 


Coils  that  No  Man  Could  Break     271 

helpless;  certain  only  of  being  crushed  by  them. 
Thus  nothing  could  make  me  believe  that  I  should 
ever  again  set  eyes  on  the  woman  whose  release  I 
had  thus  secured  and  whom  I  now  loved  with  all  my 
heart. 

Nor  could  I  part  from  her  without  allowing  her  to 
see  something  of  this. 

She  was  indeed  so  quick  to  appreciate  the  meaning 
of  what  I  told  her,  that  all  the  sweet  pleasure  and 
gladness  she  shewed  when  welcoming  me  changed 
in  a  moment  to  sadness. 

"  I  would  ten  thousand  times  rather  not  go,"  she 
6aid.  "  I  do  not  care  what  they  do  to  me.  I  have 
brought  you  into  this,  and  it  is  me  they  should  pun- 
ish," she  said  more  than  once. 

"  But  you  can't  do  what  this  man  wants,  Olga," 
6aid  I  with  a  smile,  to  reassure  her.  "  If  you  could, 
he  would  probably  let  me  go  and  hold  on  to  you.  If 
I  couldn't,  he  would  hold  on  to  us  both.  But  you 
must  go  for  this  reason.  You  must  find  Balestier 
and  tell  him  to  come  here.  He  must  stop  making  a 
fuss  about  Hamylton  Tregethner,  and  just  come  on 
here  and  see  me  and  let  us  try  together  to  find  out 
gome  solution  of  the  puzzle.  But  he  must  hold  his 
tongue  unless  talking  to  the  right  pair  of  ears. " 

"  I  shall  know  no  rest  till  I  find  him,"  replied  Olga 
instantly.  "  And  if  I  do  not,  I  shall  come  back  here. 
I  will  not  leave  you  like  this." 

I  kissed  her ;  but  did  not  tell  her  that  so  far  as  I 
was  concerned  her  return  would  be  useless,  for  the 
cogent  reason  that  I  should  not  be  alive.  It  was  im- 
possible that  I  could  survive  by  many  hours  the  Im- 
perial visit.  This  I  kept  from  her,  however,  for  the 
farewell  was  already  more  than  sufficiently  sad  and 
trying;  and  I  doubt  if  any  consideration  on  earth 


272  By  Right  of  Sword 

would  have  induced  her  to  leave  if  she  had  really 
known  how  imminent  was  my  danger. 

I  talked  much  indeed  of  the  help  Balestier  might 
be  able  to  render,  and  thus  impressed  on  her  strongly 
the  need  for  her  to  find  him,  however  long  it  might 
take  her.  This  giving  her  a  task  and  connecting  it 
with  the  work  of  helping  me,  kept  her  hope  alive  and 
tended  to  reconcile  her  to  the  parting,  so  that  in  the 
end  she  shook  off  much  of  her  depression.  I  could 
see,  also,  she  was  battling  with  her  feelings  to  dis- 
tress me  as  little  as  possible. 

I  loved  her  the  more  as  I  saw  this,  but  the  parting 
was  such  pain  for  us  both,  that  I  was  glad  when  it  was 
over.  I  stood  and  watched  the  train  steam  out  of  the 
station  and  saw  her  leaning  from  the  carriage  win- 
dow to  catch  the  last  glimpse  of  me.  And  I  was  sad 
indeed,  as  I  turned  away  with  a  positively  choking 
sense  of  loneliness  such  as  I  had  never  felt  before  in 
all  my  life. 

The  departure  of  my  brave  little  sister,  clever- 
witted  counsellor,  and  dearest  companion  seemed  to 
leave  such  a  void  in  my  life  that  in  the  first  hours 
which  followed  her  departure  I  mourned  for  her  as 
one  grieves  for  the  dead.  And  in  truth  she  was  dead 
to  me. 

But  the  events  of  the  day  following  left  me  little 
time  for  meditation.  It  was  Sunday  and  a  day  of 
brisk  action.  Early  in  the  morning  there  were  spe- 
cial regimental  duties ;  and  on  my  return  to  my  rooms 
for  breakfast  I  found  waiting  for  me  a  stranger,  whose 
card,  given  to  my  servant,  described  him  as  "  J.  W. 
Junker,  St.  Petersburg  Gazette. " 

He  rose  at  my  entrance  and  said  in  a  very  pleasant 
voice : — 

"  Excuse  a  iournalist's  liberty  in  coming  to  you. 


Coils  that  No  Man  Could  Break 


273 


I  am  the  special  correspondent  of  the  St.  Petersburg 
Gazette  and  have  come  to  do  the  Czar's  visit,  and  I 
should  very  much  like  a  word  with  you  on  the  mat- 
ter. " 

"  I  don't  see  where  I  can  be  of  any  help,  but  if 
there's  anything  I  can  tell  you,  fire  away,"  I  said. 
"I've  had  a  couple  of  hours'  drill  this  morning,  how- 
ever, and  I  have  to  be  on  the  parade  ground  in  less 
than  an  hour,  so  you  must  excuse  me  if  I  have  my 
breakfast  while  we  chat.  But  perhaps  you'll  join 
me?" 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure,"  and  down  he  sat, 
and  while  the  servant  was  in  the  room  for  the  first 
few  minutes,  he  chatted  away  like  the  bright  and 
pleasant  fellow  he  appeared  to  be.  But  as  soon  as 
my  man  had  left  the  room,  his  manner  changed  sud- 
denly and  his  voice  took  a  direct  earnest  tone  that 
made  me  look  at  him  in  some  astonishment. 

"Don't  have  that  fellow  back  again.  Is  it  all 
acting,  or  don't  you  really  recognise  me?  I  knew 
you  in  a  moment." 

"  Did  you?  Well,  I  certainly  don't  know  you.  I 
never  met  a  journalist.  .  .  ."  He  broke  in  with  a 
short  laugh  and  waved  his  hand  with  a  quick  gesture 
of  imperative  impatience  as  he  stared  at  me  hard. 
His  manner  annoyed  me. 

"  Well,  if  you're  not  what  you  said  you  were,  what 
the  devil  are  you  doing  here  ?  What  do  you  want  ?  " 
I  felt  like  pitching  him  out  of  the  place. 

"  Didn't  you  expect  me?  " 

"  Expect  you  ?     No ;  how  should  I  ? " 

"  Instructions  were  sent  to  prepare  you." 

"  I  can  only  say  I  haven't  the  ghost  of  a  notion 
what  you  want." 

"  To  complete  the  arrangements  for  to-morrow's 
fS 


274  By  Right  of  Sword 

glorious  event,"  and  his  face  lightened  with  a  mo- 
mentary enthusiasm. 

"  How  am  I  to  know  you  ? "  I  asked,  suspiciously. 

"  I  am  Gorvas  Lassthum ;  and  I  saw  you  twelve 
months  ago  when  the  other  plan  was  laid,  as  you 
will  remember,  and  failed.  Your  memory  is  treach- 
erous, my  friend." 

"  There  are  some  things  I  train  it  to  forget,"  I  an- 
swered, equivocally. 

I  was  in  a  fix.  I  guessed  the  man  was  a  Nihilist 
agent,  of  course,  and  his  air  of  self-importance  sug- 
gested that  he  was  high  up  in  the  leadership.  But 
on  the  other  hand  Moscow  was  at  the  moment 
swarming  with  spies  of  all  kinds ;  and  this  might  be 
one.  I  assumed  an  air  of  extreme  caution  therefore, 
and  after  a  flash  of  thought  added :  "  And  some  that 
I  prefer  not  to  know  at  all.  It  pleases  me  now  to 
hold  that  from  my  side  you  and  I  are  strangers. 
You  know  me  well;  say  then  just  what  you  wish  to 
say.  I  on  my  side  don't  know  you,  and  prefer  to  say 
nothing." 

"  Good,"  he  cried ;  and  reaching  out  offered  me  his 
hand  and  when  I  gave  him  mine,  he  pressed  it  and 
said  earnestly : — "  Would  God  we  had  more  men  like 
you — so  ready  in  act  and  so  cautious  in  word." 

I  bowed  and  made  no  other  sign. 

"  You  have  the  orders  for  the  disposition  of  the 
troops  to-morrow,  and  at  the  last  minute  the  whole 
of  them,  or  the  most  of  them,  will  be  changed.  You 
yourself  will  be  detailed  to  guard  that  part  of  the  line 
which  runs  over  the  flat  stretch  by  the  river  on  the 
further  side  of  the  Vsatesk  station.  Guard  it  well ; 
for  a  greater  life  than  that  of  the  Emperor  depends 
on  your  vigilance — the  life  of  the  People." 

As  he  said  this  another  of  those  little  flashes  of 


Coils  that  No  Man   Could  Break     275 

light  that  seemed  to  transform  him  from  a  pleasant 
man  of  the  world  into  an  enthusiast  leapt  into  his 
eyes.  A  pause  followed  in  which  I  said  nothing. 

"  Your  orders  will  be  to  station  your  men  at  set 
distances  on  either  side  of  the  line — it  being  an  easy 
place  to  guard — and  you  will  have  some  three  miles 
of  the  line  under  your  command.  It  is  good.  Now, 
take  thought.  At  one  point  in  about  the  centre  of 
your  section,  thel  and  dips  and  the  line  is  embanked 
to  a  height  of  some  ten  feet,  for  a  length  of  about 
half  a  mile.  At  that  spot  there  are  four  alder  trees 
— three  to  the  left  of  the  line,  and  one  to  the  right. 
These  three  form  an  irregular  triangle,  one  side  of 
which  is  much  shorter  than  the  others ;  and  if  you 
follow  the  short  line  which  those  two  trees  make, 
you  will  find  that  they  form  a  comparatively  straight 
line  with  the  fourth  tree  on  the  other  side  of  the 
railway  embankment.  Do  you  follow  me?  " 

He  made  a  rough  model  on  the  table-cloth,  using 
some  of  the  breakfast  things  for  the  purpose  of  shew- 
ing the  positions  of  the  railway  and  the  trees. 

"  No  one  can  mistake  that,"  I  said. 

"Well,  you  are  to  take  up  your  position  here, 
you  yourself,  I  mean,  here,  in  a  dead  straight  line 
between  these  two  trees  " — demonstrating  them  on 
the  table-cloth — "  for  this  is  where  there  will  be  an 
accident.  And  now,  pay  close  heed  to  this.  You 
will  go  out  by  train ;  and  when  your  men  are  paraded 
at  the  station  they  will  be  joined  by  five  of  ours. 
These  will  mingle  with  yours  at  the  very  last  mo- 
ment ;  and  if  any  questions  are  asked  they  will  pro- 
duce the  necessary  authority.  These  five  men  you 
will  arrange  carefully  to  take  the  next  five  positions 
to  you  on  your  right  hand.  When  the  train  leaves 
the  line,  they  will  instantly  close  round  and  guard  the 


276  By  Right  of  Swora 

Emperor's  carriage;  and  you  will  see  that  nothing 
prevents  them.  That  is  all  you  have  to  do;  and  if 
you  act  discreetly  you  will  run  no  risk.  You  will 
not  fail.  They  know  their  duties  and  will  do  them; 
and  will  let  no  one  come  between  them  and  their 
noble  task.  Five  bolder  men  do  not  breathe  in  all 
Russia.  Remember,  they  are  to  be  stationed  next 
to  you  on  your  right.  You  understand  ?  " 

"  Every  item. " 

"  It  is  a  great  day  for  you,  friend, "  he  said. 

"It  is  a  great  day  for  Russia,"  I  returned;  and 
soon  after  he  left  me. 

I  was  filled  with  the  most  anxious  doubt  as  to  what 
course  I  ought  to  take  to  checkmate  this  horrible  plot, 
of  which  I  was  the  most  unwilling  depository  and  was 
marked  out  as  the  forced  agent. 

During  the  whole  day  I  was  turning  the  problem 
over  and  over  in  my  thoughts :  and  I  could  see  no 
course  that  would  be  at  all  effective  in  thwarting  the 
plot  without  at  the  same  time  exposing  myself  to  all 
the  hazard  of  being  punished  as  a  Nihilist.  I  could, 
of  course,  tell  the  police  or  Prince  Bilbassoff,  but  this 
meant  a  double  danger  for  me.  They  would  take 
measures  to  alter  the  arrangements  as  to  the  visit; 
the  reason  for  this  would  have  to  be  told  to  the  Czar; 
it  would  certainly  leak  out  to  the  Nihilists,  and  I 
should  be  a  mark  for  their  assassins  at  once.  On  the 
other  hand  the  story  told  by  Paula  Tueski  would 
seem  to  have  the  corroboration  which  my  acquaint- 
ance with  Nihilist  matters  would  give  to  it,  and  I 
should  be  in  peril  there. 

One  consideration  there  was  that  gave  some  reas- 
surance.  I  had  already  had  the  orders  for  the  dis' 
tribution  of  the  troops,  and  I  knew  that  I  was  to  be 
miles  away  from  those  cursed  alder  trees  at  the  mo- 


Coils  that  No  Man  Could  Break     277 

ment  when  the  Czar  would  be  passing.  I  knew  too 
that  if  the  plot  went  wrong  in  that  main  feature,  it 
would  fail  altogether. 

The  Nihilists  were  not  such  fools  as  to  draw  down 
on  themselves  all  the  sensational  punishments  which 
would  inevitably  follow  the  discovery  of  an  organised 
attempt  on  the  life  of  the  Czar,  for  the  mere  empty 
purpose  of  sending  the  Imperial  train  off  the  line. 
Unless,  therefore,  they  had  some  emissary  so  highly 
placed  as  to  be  in  possession  of  the  information  long 
before  any  of  us  in  Moscow  knew  about  it,  the  whole 
machinery  was  likely  to  be  stopped  for  the  one  flaw. 
And  though  I  had  had  some  proof  of  the  extraordi- 
nary accuracy  of  their  information,  I  could  not  be- 
lieve their  power  to  be  such  as  this  necessitated. 

But  in  the  afternoon,  when  according  to  arrange- 
ment I  went  again  to  the  Prince  Bilbassoff,  startling 
news  awaited  me,  that  redoubled  all  these  doubts  and 
difficulties,  and  set  them  buzzing  and  rushing  through 
my  brain,  threatening  to  muddle  my  wits  alto- 
gether. 

There  was  a  distinct  change  in  the  manner  of  his 
reception  of  me,  and  it  pleased  me  to  set  this  down 
to  the  fact  that  his  opinion  of  me  was  raised  by  the 
knowledge  that  the  black  past  of  Alexis  Petrovitch 
was  mine  only  by  adoption,  and  that  in  reality  I  had 
the  clean  antecedents  of  an  English  gentleman. 

"  I  can't  give  you  more  than  a  few  minutes,"  he 
said,  "  and  I  must  therefore  squeeze  as  much  as  pos- 
sible into  them.  I  have  taken  your  suggestion  and 
have  wired  to  London  to  find  out  about  you.  The 
result  is  what  I  am  bound  to  say  I  hoped ;  and  the 
consequences  are  I  am  going  to  trust  you." 

"That's  as  you  please,"  said  I,  quietly. 

"  It  does  please  me,  because  I  don't  want  this  duel 


278  By  Right  of  Sword 

to  fall  through.  Now  you  want  some  cause  for  fight 
ing  that  will  satisfy  your  honour.  Will  you  fight 
this  man  if  he  insults  you  ?  * 

"  I'll  fight  any  man  who  does  that,"  I  replied. 

"  Now,  whose  officer  are  you  ?  " 

"The  Czar's,  while  I  am  in  Russia." 

"  Will  you  risk  your  life  in  his  service?  " 

"  My  sword  is  absolutely  at  his  service. " 

"If  you  should  hear  His  Majesty  insulted  in  your 
presence  would  you  face  the  man  who  did  it?  " 

"  As  surely  as  effect  follows  cause." 

"  Then  this  man's  whole  life  is  an  insult  to  the 
Czar." 

"In  what  way?" 

"  He  is  a  Nihilist  to  his  finger-tips.  His  presence 
near  the  throne  is  a  standing  menace  to  the  Emperor; 
his  hand  is  ever  raised  to  seek  his  Majesty's  life;  and 
his  whole  life  is  that  of  a  traitor  who  learns  the  high- 
est secrets  only  to  betray  them  to  these  enemies  of 
God  and  the  Emperor." 

"  What  proof  have  you  ?  "  I  asked  in  the  profound- 
est  astonishment.  I  began  to  see  now  how  the  most 
secret  information  leaked  out. 

"  None,  boy.  Or  do  you  think  he  would  be  where 
he  is  for  an  hour?  " 

"  Then  how  do  you  know  it  ?  " 

"  If  a  secret  is  known  to  three  people,  two  of  whom 
you  know  to  be  as  staunch  as  steel,  and  yet  it  gets 
out — how  do  you  think  it  happens  ?  If  this  happens 
not  only  once  but  two  or  three  times,  what  do  you 
think  of  the  man  ?  This  man  is  a  traitor ;  and  as 
surely  as  there  is  a  God  in  Heaven,  the  Crown  is  not 
firmly  on  my  master's  head  while  the  man  remains 
alive.  Now,  will  you  fight  him  ?  " 

"  The  matter  is  a  public,  not  personal,  one :  Rus- 


Coils  that  No  Man  Could  Break     279 

sian  not  English.  My  sword  is  not  a  bravo's  to  be 
hired  for  that  sort  of  work." 

He  swore  a  deep  oath  under  his  breath  at  this, 
and  then  changed  it  to  a  laugh  with  an  ugly  ring 
in  it. 

"  If  you  mean  to  climb,  my  young  cockerel,  we 
must  see  more  of  your  spurs  and  hear  less  of  your 
scruples.  Personal  1  Good  God,  what  more  do  you 
want?  Aren't  you  the  Emperor's  own  property? 
Isn't  the  Little  Father  in  danger?  Isn't  that 
enough?  Personal!  Ugh.  Well,  is  this  personal 
enough  for  you?  His  Highness  has  already  done 
you  the  honour  to  pick  you  out  for  the  favour  of  his 
ill  will.  This  is  a  letter  which  by  one  of  those  little 
accidents  that  do  sometimes  happen  in  my  office,  has 
fallen  into  my  hands.  He  is  writing  to  an  agent  of 
his  here  in  Moscow.  Listen :  '  There  is  a  young  lieu- 
tenant of  the  Moscow  Infantry  Regiment,  named 
Petrovitch,  about  whom  I  want  all  the  possible  infor- 
mation. He  is  a  dishonourable  scoundrel,  I  under- 
stand— a  dicing,  gambling,  drinking  fellow,  who 
thinks  he  can  crow  and  strut  on  the  crest  of  his 
dunghill  with  impunity  because  he  had  the  luck  to 
beat  a  better  man  than  himself  in  a  duel,  and  the  in- 
solence to  insult  another  officer — one  of  my  friends 
— and  then  hide  himself  under  official  protection.  I 
hear  now  that  he  is  meditating  another  and  a  greater 
coup.  I  know  much  about  him,  but  want  you  to  get 
me  as  much  more  information  as  possible.  Suck 
swash-buckling  knaves  are  a  disgrace  and  danger  to 
everything  they  touch.  He  is  not  to  be  trusted  in 
anything  and  all  reasons  make  his  overthrow  neces- 
sary. ' " 

As  he  finished  reading  the  extract,  the  Prince 
paused  and  lowering  the  letter  looked  at  me  over  the 


280  By  Right  of  Sword 

top.  Then  without  giving  me  time  to  answer,  he 
continued : — 

"  Your  '  butcher  Durescq  *  was  this  man's  close 
friend  and  tool — doing  his  work  for  him.  It  was 
through  this  patron's  influence  that  Durescq  escaped 
being  turned  out  of  the  army  altogether.  Now,  you 
can  see  two  things — why  this  man  hates  you,  and 
how  it  was  I  heard  of  you.  Is  that  personal  enough, 
Lieutenant  ? " 

"By  God,  I  should  think  it  is,"  cried  I,  on  fire 
with  rage.  "  What  does  he  dare  to  interfere  with 
me  for?"  As  I  asked  the  question  the  reason 
flashed  upon  me  as  by  inspiration.  He  had  heard  of 
my  being  associated  with  Prince  Bilbassoff  and  was 
afraid  that  as  I  knew  so  much  about  Nihilism,  I 
should  get  to  learn  of  his  connection  with  it,  and  he 
thus  deemed  it  best  to  have  me  put  out  of  the  way. 
He  meant  to  have  me  "  removed."  When  I  looked 
up  the  Prince's  keen  subtle  eyes  were  fixed  on  me 
with  calculating  intentness. 

"  It  is  curious  that  this  man  should  fix  on  you  as 
the  object  of  his  resentment — even  though  he  is  a 
Nihilist.  Take  care,  my  friend.  I  know  you  have 
inherited  a  Nihilist  black  cloak  and  dagger  with  your 
other  undesirable  possessions ;  beware  how  you  use 
them." 

"  I  believe  the  real  Alexis  had  dealings  with  them," 
I  said. 

"  If  this  Tueski  woman  manages  to  let  their  un- 
derstand the  truth,  then,  you  will  need  the  wariest 
wits  in  the  world  to  avoid  stumbling." 

M  You  have  maddened  me, "  I  cried,  as  if  impetu- 
ously,  and  in  the  highest  excitement.  "  Get  me  a 
meeting  with  that  villain  and  were  he  twenty  times 
the  swordsman  he  is,  and  covered  in  iron  mail  from 


Coils  that  No  Man  Could  Break     281 

head  to  foot,  my  sword  should  find  a  chink  to  let  the 
life  out  of  him.  I  am  on  fire." 

Then  I  rushed  away ;  for  in  truth  I  dared  not  stay 
to  be  any  longer  questioned  about  my  relations  with 
the  Nihilists. 

It  all  seemed  clear  to  me  now.  They  meant  to 
use  me  for  the  horrible  business  of  the  following  day ; 
and  then  under  some  pretext  get  rid  of  me — murder 
me  if  necessary — or  denounce  me.  This  man  held 
that  I  knew  too  much  for  his  safety. 

All  this  was  supposing,  of  course,  that  I  escaped 
the  danger  of  the  plot  itself. 


CHAPTER   XXVt 

MY   DECISION. 

THE  news  I  heard  from  Prince  Bilbassoff  wrought 
me  to  a  higher  pitch  of  excitement  than  anything 
that  had  ever  happened  in  my  life.  I  was  in  a  very 
highly  strung  condition,  and  my  nerves  were  no 
doubt  greatly  wrought  upon  as  the  result  of  the  stir- 
ring events  of  the  previous  few  days.  That  may 
have  rendered  me  unduly  susceptible  to  this  new  de- 
velopment. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  I  went  out  of  the  Prince's  pres- 
ence filled  with  a  spurring  desire  to  kill  the  man  who 
as  it  seemed  to  me  was  planning  my  ruin  in  this  most 
treacherous  manner. 

The  view  I  took  was  that  this  Grand  Duke  was 
moved  by  the  double  motive  of  personal  anger  on  the 
score  of  my  affair  with  Alexandre  Durescq  and  of  a 
feeling  of  insecurity  on  account  of  the  knowledge  I 
had  of  his  Nihilism.  I  knew  too  much  to  be  trusted. 
The  issues  were  so  tremendous,  the  decision  I  had  to 
make  so  full  of  moment,  and  the  time  for  me  to 
choose  my  course  so  short,  that  my  wits  had  need  to 
be  at  their  sharpest. 

I  had  out  my  horse  and  went  for  a  hard  gallop — • 
one  of  the  best  prescriptions  I  know  of  to  clear  a 
tangled  judgment.  It  acted  now.  As  I  rode  at  hot 
speed  my  thoughts  began  to  settle ;  and  then  grad- 
ually a  scheme  occurred  to  me,  wild,  desperate,  and 


My  Decision  283 

hazardous  at  best,  and  fraught  with  fearful  risks  to 
others  beside  myself;  but  yet  if  successful,  offering 
me  what  I  wanted  above  all — complete  deliverance 
from  the  whole  of  my  present  difficulties. 

My  first  thought  in  all  was  for  myself.  Not  for 
the  Emperor,  nor  the  army,  nor  Russia,  nor  any  big 
interests — for  myself  and  for  my  escape  from  the 
country  whose  most  unwilling  guest  and  compulsory 
servant  I  was.  Had  I  been  a  Russian  officer  in  real- 
ity, I  could  have  taken  but  one  course — disclosed  the 
Nihilist  plot,  or  so  much  of  it  as  I  knew,  and  thus 
have  checkmated  the  whole  devilish  business  at  once. 
Had  I  ever  received  any  particular  mark  of  favour 
at  the  hands  of  the  Government  or  the  country, 
gratitude  would  have  urged  me  to  take  the  same 
course. 

But  I  owed  nothing  to  a  soul  in  all  Russia. 
Everyone  had  tried  to  use  me  as  a  tool.  The  Colo- 
nel of  the  regiment  had  begun  by  making  use  of  my 
quarrel  with  Durescq  to  humiliate  Devinsky.  The 
officers,  almost  without  exception,  had  swaggered 
over  me  contemptuously  until  my  skill  as  a  swords- 
man shewed  them  the  price  of  contempt  might  be 
death.  The  Nihilists  had  first  tried  to  assassinate 
me,  and  only  when  I  had  seemed  to  serve  their  ends 
with  more  daring  and  secrecy  than  any  other  man 
among  them,  had  they  turned  with  a  demand  for 
more  sacrifices;  while  this  Grand  Duke,  apparently 
one  of  the  chief  of  them,  was  even  now  planning  to 
get  rid  of  me.  Prince  Bilbassoff  was  in  the  same 
list ;  and  without  a  doubt  would  have  shut  up  both 
Olga  and  myself  on  Paula  Tueski's  accusation,  had  he 
not  wished  to  hire  me  as  an  assassin.  Everywhere 
I  turned  it  was  the  same. 

What  then  did  I  owe  to  Russia  that  I  should  think 


284  By  Right  of  Sword 

of  any  single  consideration  except  my  own  safety  and 
welfare  ? 

The  question  which  I  asked  myself  therefore,  was 
whether  I  could  plunge  my  hand  into  this  seething 
cauldron  of  intrigue  and  murder  and  pluck  out  my 
own  safety. 

A  word  from  me  would  foil  the  whole  Nihilist 
plot,  and  the  Czar  would  make  his  entry  into  Mos- 
cow in  due  form  and  time.  But  how  should  I  profit  ? 
Supposing  the  Nihilist  calculations  were  correct,  and 
I  was  appointed  to  the  section  of  the  line  where  the 
"accident"  was  to  happen,  I  should  have  to  contrive 
obstacles  and  make  difficulties  which  would  in  all 
probability  draw  down  on  me  the  suspicions  of  the 
whole  Nihilist  crew.  Add  that  element  of  suspicion 
to  the  feeling  which  the  Grand  Duke  already  enter- 
tained and  was  inculcating  into  others,  and  what 
chance  was  there  of  my  escaping  either  open  ruin  or 
assassination  ? 

Assuming  that  I  did  escape  even,  what  should  I 
gain?  I  was  tied  to  Russia  by  the  word  I  had 
passed  to  the  Prince,  and  could  not  hope  to  be  set 
free  from  it  until  I  had  either  fought  the  Grand 
Duke,  or  until  the  Prince  was  convinced  that  the 
duel  was  impossible.  But  as  the  Duke  looked  on 
me  as  nothing  less  than  a  pestilential  traitor  to  the 
Nihilist  cause,  was  it  likely  that  he  would  consent  to 
meet  me?  Certainly  not.  Even  if  we  added  the 
cause  which  the  Prince  had  suggested — the  spurious 
betrothal  to  the  Princess — I  should  get  no  benefit. 
The  Grand  Duke  would  merely  regard  that  as  an  ad- 
ditional reason  for  having  me  removed  secretly  from 
his  path. 

All  this  meant,  therefore,  that  even  if  I  thwarted 
the  plot  in  this  way,  I  should  be  kept  in  Russia  and 


My  Decision  285 

apart  from  Olga,  until  the  Grand  Duke  consented  tc 
fight  me ;  or,  in  other  words,  until  his  emissaries  had 
convinced  themselves  that  they  could  not  manage  to 
assassinate  me.  Nor  was  it  probable  that  that  con- 
viction would  come  until  they  had  made  a  series  of 
unsuccessful  efforts. 

A  pleasant  prospect,  truly ! 

On  the  other  hand,  if  I  did  nothing  and  allowed 
the  infernal  plot  to  be  carried  through  and  the  Em- 
peror murdered,  it  would  mean  death  to  me ;  certain 
death.  As  the  officer  placed  in  charge  of  the  section 
of  the  line  where  the  deed  would  be  done,  who  had 
allowed  the  murderers  disguised  as  soldiers  to  mix 
with  my  troops ;  who  had  actually  posted  them  at  the 
very  spot  where  the  train  was  to  be  derailed;  and 
who  above  all  was  already  suspected  of  Nihilist  in- 
trigue ;  I  was  certain  of  conviction,  even  without  the 
Grand  Duke's  special  animosity.  Add  that,  however, 
and  the  result  was  as  dead  certain  as  that  night  alter- 
nates with  day. 

If  I  was  to  escape,  therefore,  it  must  be  by  a 
shrewd  stroke  dealt  by  myself  alone  and  for  myself 
alone.  And  such  a  stroke  it  was  that  suggested 
itself  in  the  course  of  that  ride. 

Briefly,  it  was  to  allow  everything  to  go  forward 
right  to  the  very  supreme  moment,  and  then  by  per- 
sonal effort  to  save  the  Emperor's  life  by  my  own 
hand  in  such  a  way  as  to  draw  the  Imperial  attention 
directly  on  myself. 

I  thought  I  saw  how  it  could  be  done :  and  when  I 
turned  my  horse's  head  homeward  I  rode  at  a  slower 
pace,  meditating  all  the  details  of  the  plan  with  the 
closest  attention.  The  Nihilist  had  told  me  enough 
to  shew  me  how  to  act ;  and  my  sense  of  fair  play 
urged  me  to  use  the  knowledge  for  my  sole  advan- 


a86  By  Right  of  Sword 

tage,  and  without  involving  a  single  Nihilist  in  dan- 
ger by  open  denunciation.  I  was  a  Nihilist  against 
my  will ;  and  though  I  had  been  forced  into  the  plot, 
I  was  altogether  opposed  to  telling  what  had  been 
told  to  me  in  this  spirit  of  confidence.  At  the  same 
time  I  was  a  Russian  officer,  almost  equally  against 
my  own  seeking,  and  so  long  as  I  preserved  the  Em- 
peror's life  I  need  not  regard  other  matters  as  a  Rus- 
sian officer  would. 

By  the  time  I  reached  my  rooms  I  had  my  plans 
shaped,  and  my  scheme  developed ;  and  my  accus- 
tomed mood  of  calm,  wary  self-possession  had  re- 
turned. 

I  changed  and  went  to  the  club.  The  place  was 
crammed  with  the  officers  stationed  in  Moscow  and 
their  friends  who  had  been  sent  into  the  city  on 
special  duty  in  connection  with  the  Czar's  visit  on 
the  following  day.  Every  one  was  in  the  noisiest 
spirits.  Good  news  had  come  of  the  prospects  of 
war.  All  believed  that  on  the  next  day  the  Little 
Father  would  make  a  ringing  war  speech  that  would 
render  peace  impossible ;  and  many  of  the  men  were 
talking  as  though  the  sword  had  already  leapt  from 
the  scabbard,  and  a  million  men,  tramping  warwards, 
were  alread)  driving  the  scared  Turks  before  them, 
like  husks  before  the  winnowing  fan. 

I  lounged  about  the  place,  exchanging  a  word  now 
and  then  with  one  or  another  of  my  acquaintances, 
and  I  saw  some  of  the  youngsters  stop  their  war 
babble  as  I  passed  and  whisper  to  their  companions, 
and  the  latter  would  turn  and  look  in  my  direction.  I 
was  fool  enough  to  be  pleased  at  these  little  indications 
of  the  changed  feelings  with  which  in  scarcely  more 
than  a  month  I  had  made  my  fellow -officers  think 
and  speak  of  "  that  devil  Alexis." 


My  Decision  287 

More  than  once  I  smiled  to  myself  as  I  thought 
what  a  bomb-shell  would  be  exploded  in  the  room  if 
they  were  all  told  the  hazardous  secret  which  filled 
my  thoughts  just  at  that  moment. 

"  To  hell  with  the  Turk,  Alexis,"  cried  Essaieff, 
catching  sight  of  me  and  stopping  me  as  I  moved  past. 

"  May  the  Sick  Man  never  recover !  "  I  returned, 
answering  in  the  form  that  was  then  in  vogue  with 
us  all. 

"  Drink,  man,  drink,"  he  cried,  excitedly,  thrusting 
a  glass  of  some  kind  of  liquor  to  me.  It  was  evident 
he  had  been  toasting  the  war  pretty  freely.  "Sit 
here  with  us.  Take  it  easy,  man,  now  while  we  can. 
We've  a  long  march  ahead  before  we  catch  a  glimpse 
of  the  minarets  of  Constantinople.  Gentlemen,  here 
is  a  Russian  of  whom  you  will  hear  much  when  the 
war  comes.  Lieutenant  Petrovitch  of  ours,  gentle- 
men, my  particular  friend,  and  as  good  a  fellow  as 
ever  held  a  commission.  You  can  do  anything  with 
him,  except  quarrel ;  then,  damme,  you  must  look  out 
fof  yourself,  for  there  isn't  a  man  in  Moscow,  nor,  I 
believe,  in  Russia,  can  get  through  his  guard,  and 
as  for  shooting,  God !  I  believe  if  a  single  devil  of  a 
Turk  shews  only  the  shadow  of  an  eyelash  round  the 
corner  of  a  fortification,  he'll  hit  him  with  a  ricochet. 
'  That  devil  Alexis,'  he  is  to  us;  and  if  the  devil's 
only  half  as  good  a  fellow  as  this,  I'll  be  content  for 
one  to  serve  him." 

"  I've  heard  of  Lieutenant  Petrovitch,"  said  one 
of  the  men,  as  he  bowed  to  me  ceremoniously  and 
lifted  his  glass  in  response  to  Essaieff's  toast. 

"  Then  you  will  know  how  to  discount  the  exagger- 
ations of  my  good  friend  Essaieff,"  said  I,  quietly. 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  knew  Durescq. " 

"  Is  Lieutenant  Petrovitch  the  officer  who  was  in 


288  By  Right  of  Sword 

that  matter?"  asked  another,  shewing  great  interest 
in  me  at  once. 

"  I  should  think  he  is,"  cried  Essaieff,  noisily  en- 
thusiastic. "  It  was  in  this  very  room  that  the  thing 
occurred.  I'll  tell  you.  .  .  ." 

"  Essaieff,  my  dear  fellow,  I'd  much  rather  not/'  I 
interrupted;  and  turning  to  one  of  the  officers  I 
asked : — "  Do  you  really  think  the  war  will  come 
now  ?  "  But  Essaieff  would  not  let  me  change  the 
subject. 

"  War  come  ?  of  course  it  will ;  but  this  is  some- 
thing much  better  than  war  just  now,"  he  burst  in. 
"  Several  of  us  thought  there  was  mischief  in  the 
air  when  we  saw  Devinsky  and  Durescq  together,  and 
I  was  standing  there,  waiting  for.  .  .  ." 

"  Excuse  me,"  I  interrupted,  rising.  "  I  wish  to 
speak  to  a  man  I  see  over  there ;  and  really  I  can't 
stand  Essaieff  when  he  gets  on  this  theme,"  and  with 
that  excuse  I  left. 

Wherever  I  went  there  were  the  same  signs  of  rev- 
elry, excitement  and  pleasure.  All  were  anticipating 
a  really  splendid  gala  day  on  the  morrow,  with  gaieties, 
festivities,  balls,  receptions,  concerts,  levees,  every- 
thing that  society  deems  life  worth  living  for  to  follow. 

I  went  away  very  early.  I  had  to  keep  my  nerves 
as  firm  as  cold  steel,  and  the  noisy  ruffled  atmosphere 
of  this  place,  with  its  crowd  of  gesticulating,  laugh- 
ing, excited  men,  and  the  drink  that  was  circulating 
so  freely,  formed  the  worst  of  all  preparations  for 
such  a  day  as  the  morrow  would  be  for  me  and  the 
task  I  had  to  perform. 

Before  going  home  I  strolled  through  one  or  two  of 
the  broader  streets ;  and  everywhere  I  went  I  could 
not  fail  to  observe  that  while  the  unusual  throngs  of 
people  in  the  streets  reflected  the  feelings  of  rejoic- 


My  Decision  289 

ing  that  had  animated  the  officers  whom  I  had  just 
left,  and  that  all  Moscow  was  slowly  going  mad  with 
anticipative  excitement,  the  number  of  police  agents 
was  multiplied  many  times  over.  The  leaven  of  sus- 
picion embittered  everything;  and,  as  no  one  knew 
better  than  I,  with  what  terrible  cause. 

As  I  mingled  with  the  great,  jostling,  bantering 
crowd  I  found  myself  speculating  how  the  majority 
of  them  would  decide  such  an  issue  as  that  which 
had  been  bewildering  me ;  and  the  wild  task  I  had 
for  the  morrow  made  me  feel  like  a  thing  apart  from 
everyone  of  them — an  alien  not  only  in  race,  but  in 
every  attribute  and  aspiration. 

The  contact  with  the  crowd  helped  in  a  way  to 
strengthen  the  decision  I  had  made.  I  was  one 
against  all  these  thousands ;  fighting  by  myself  for 
my  own  hand  against  desperate  odds,  and  with  none 
to  help  me  in  a  single  detail. 

When  I  reached  my  rooms  I  went  at  once  to  bed, 
knowing  that  every  minute  of  rest  had  its  value  as  a 
preparation  for  the  work  of  the  following  day.  I  had 
made  my  resolution,  formed  my  plans,  thought  out 
even  the  details.  I  had  gauged  the  risk  and  knew 
full  well  that  the  probabilities  were  all  against  my 
being  alive  on  the  following  night. 

But  this  at  least  was  equally  certain — If  I  lived 
and  was  free  I  would  have  won  my  way  out  of 
Russia. 

These  were  the  thoughts  that  filled  me;  and  so 
occupied  was  I  with  them  that  it  was  not  until  I  pur- 
posely put  them  away  from  me  in  order  to  get  to 
sleep,  that  I  recalled  how  little  I  had  thought  of  Olga 
during  the  whole  of  that  eventful  day. 

She  was  in  my  thoughts  when  I  fell  asleep,  how- 
ever :  and  her  face  cheered  me  in  my  dreams. 
tQ 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

THE    FOUR    ALDER    TREES. 

I  TVAS  up  very  early  on  the  morning  of  the  Czar's 
visit.  We  had  a  parade  at  6.30  to  receive  final  in- 
structions ;  and  as  I  walked  to  the  barracks,  I  was  in, 
high  spirits,  buoyant,  self-confident,  and  alert — much 
as  I  had  felt  on  the  morning  of  my  duel  with  Devin- 
sky.  I  could  not  have  been  in  better  tone. 

The  morning  air  was  very  fresh  and  clear  and  the 
sunlight  fell  everywhere  upon  flags,  decorations,  tri- 
umphal arches,  and  the  rest  of  the  festal  preparations 
for  the  great  holiday  to  which  work  people  were  busy 
putting  the  final  touches. 

Everybody  seemed  in  the  highest  spirits.  Laugh- 
ter and  jest  and  a  pleasant  interchange  of  greetings 
rang  on  the  air  on  all  sides  of  me;  and  the  whole 
city  seemed  to  be  already  wreathed  in  smiles. 

My  brother  officers  came  straggling  up  after  I  had 
reached  the  ground,  and  more  than  one  of  them 
shewed  abundant  signs  of  the  previous  night's  ca- 
rouse; looking  as  though  a  couple  more  hours'  sleep 
were  sadly  wanted.  Headaches  abounded  among 
them,  and  more  than  one  regarded  me  with  a  sort  of 
comical  envy  because  I  was  not  dull-eyed,  pale,  nor 
unrested.  They  took  it  for  granted  that  I  had  drunk 
as  deeply  as  they,  and  set  down  my  steady  head  as 
one  more  proof  of  my  prowess.  Some  men  can  al- 
ways see  something  of  a  hero  in  the  man  who  can 


The  Four  Alder  Trees  291 

drink  heavily  and  yet  shew  no  signs  of  his  dissipa- 
tion. 

When  the  Colonel  came  and  we  fell  in,  there  was 
a  disappointment  for  me.  My  new  plan  was  based 
on  the  correctness  of  the  Nihilist  information — that  I 
should  have  the  command  of  the  troops  guarding  the 
section  of  the  line  where  were  four  alder  trees ;  and  I 
reckoned  confidently  upon  hearing  from  the  Colonel 
of  the  alteration  in  the  original  plans. 

But  no  announcement  of  the  sort  was  made.  On 
the  contrary,  as  soon  as  the  troops  had  fallen  in,  the 
arrangements  which  had  been  announced  on  the  pre- 
vious day  were  repeated ;  and  I  found  that  instead  of 
being  told  off  to  take  charge  of  the  railway  to  the 
north  of  the  city,  I  had  to  pass  the  whole  day  in 
guarding  the  Western  Gate  and  the  road  for  some 
distance  on  either  side  of  it.  I  was  ordered  to  parade 
my  men  at  eight  o'clock  and  to  march  straight  to  the 
place  of  guard. 

I  went  home  to  breakfast,  disappointed  and  dis- 
gusted. I  didn't  care  a  jot  about  missing  the  sight- 
seeing, but  I  was  angry  that  the  plan  on  which  I  had 
now  set  my  heart  had  failed ;  and  that  instead  of  be- 
ing able  to  strike  a  vigorous  blow  for  my  own  free- 
dom I  should  have  to  pass  the  hours  dawdling  about 
doing  nothing  more  than  a  sort  of  police  work  in 
keeping  order  among  a  crowd  of  gaping,  staring, 
gawky,  country  yokels. 

I  was  in  an  exceedingly  ill  temper  therefore  when 
I  returned  to  the  parade  ground  to  start  on  my  most 
unwelcome  and  unpalatable  task. 

But  I  found  the  whole  place  in  complete  confusion 
and  uproar,  and  the  first  words  I  heard  were  that  the 
whole  plan  of  the  day's  work  had  been  altered;  that 
the  troops  had  been  changed  and  interchanged  in  a 


292  By  Right  of  Sword 

most  perplexing  manner;  that  regiments  and  com 
panics  and  even  odd  files  of  men  had  been  mixed  uf 
in  the  greatest  apparent  confusion ;  and  that  not  one 
of  the  original  commands  remained  unaltered. 

I  hurried  to  the  Colonel  for  my  orders,  and  found 
him  cursing  volubly  and  with  tremendous  energy  at 
the  infinite  confusion  the  alterations  had  caused. 
But  he  found  me  my  orders  readily — he  was  a  splen- 
did disciplinarian — and  when  I  read  them  I  marvelled 
indeed  at  the  extraordinary  exactness  with  which  the 
Nihilist  had  been  able  to  anticipate  matters. 

My  command  was  changed  to  the  guarding  of  the 
three  mile  stretch  of  line  outside  the  Vsatesk  station, 
commencing  a  thousand  yards  to  the  north  of  that 
point.  I  was  to  train  out  at  once ;  post  my  men  at 
25  yards'  distance;  and  allow  no  one  to  approach  ftie 
line  for  two  hours  before  the  coming  of  the  Imperial 
train,  and  until  half  an  hour  after  it  had  passed ;  the 
time  of  its  passing  being  given  confidentially  as  2.45 
— two  hours  later  than  had  been  originally  fixed  for 
the  actual  arrival  in  Moscow.  More  than  that,  the 
men  under  my  command  were  not  to  be  drawn  solely 
from  my  own  regiment,  but  from  no  less  than  three 
others,  all  specified,  who  were  to  meet  me  at  the  sta- 
tion. 

As  I  read  these  instructions  I  saw  in  them  the 
influence  of  someone  who  must  be  both  near  to  the 
Throne  and  intimately  acquainted  with  the  whole 
Nihilist  plot.  The  object  of  classing  together  under 
one  command  men  taken  suddenly  from  different 
regiments  was  a  master-stroke  of  treachery  for  this 
particukr  work.  Apparently  it  prevented  any  col- 
lusion among  any  disaffected  regiments,  but  in  reality 
it  opened  the  way  for  the  five  assassins  to  get  into 
the  ranks  without  the  least  suspicion;  while  the 


The  Four  Alder  Trees  293 

meeting  at  the  railway  station,  probably  urged  as  a 
necessity  to  save  time  at  the  moment  when  the  plans 
had  been  all  changed,  must  have  been  in  fact  designed 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  the  plot. 

He  who  was  secretly  behind  all  this  was  no  ordi- 
nary man.  That  was  clear.  And  I  saw  that  in  pit- 
ting my  wits  against  nis,  seeing  that  he  already  had 
the  Imperial  ear,  I  should  have  to  be  wary  indeed, 
if  I  wished  to  avoid  a  fall.  But  I  did  not  shirk  the 
contest :  and  now  that  I  knew  I  was  really  to  have 
the  chance,  I  clenched  my  teeth  in  desperate  resolve. 

After  incalculable  trouble  and  much  irritating  de- 
lay, I  got  together  the  small  company  that  came 
from  my  own  regiment  and  marched  them  to  the  rail- 
way station.  I  halted  them  and  looked  round  for  the 
detachments  that  were  to  join  me.  I  posted  my  men 
in  a  place  that  would  lend  itself  well  to  the  Nihilists 
joining  them.  The  three  detachments  of  men  re- 
ported soon  after  my  arrival,  each  in  charge  of  a  ser- 
geant; and  when  I  had  ascertained  the  train  by 
which  we  were  to  travel — a  matter  of  no  small  diffi- 
culty in  the  indescribable  confusion  that  prevailed — I 
moved  the  whole  two  hundred  to  the  platforms. 

I  had  seen  nothing  of  the  Nihilists,  so  far,  and 
this  caused  me  some  surprise.  But  on  the  platforms 
the  order  of  the  ranks  cc  aid  not  be  maintained  and 
when  about  half  of  my  command  were  entrained,  I 
was  addressed  by  one  of  a  file  of  five  men  who  re- 
ported that  he  and  his  comrades  had  been  told  off  to 
accompany  me ;  and  he  produced  written  instructions 
to  that  effect. 

I  glanced  at  the  order  and  saw  that  it  was  suffi- 
ciently in  form  to  enable  me  to  take  the  men  with  me, 
and  while  pretending  to  study  the  paper  I  looked 
searchmgly  at  each  of  the  men.  They  were  a  dare- 


494  By   Right  of  Sword 

devil  set,  in  all  truth,  but  they  stood  in  their  tmi« 
forms  with  as  much  military  air  as  the  average  Rus- 
sian rankers. 

I  assumed  an  air  of  great  vexation,  and  rapping  out 
an  oath  loud  enough  for  all  about  me  to  hear,  I  called 
up  the  sergeant  of  my  own  regiment  and  telling  him 
the  men  had  been  sent  to  join  me,  and  cursing  them 
and  everybody  in  general  for  the  interruption,  told 
him  to  find  places  in  the  train  for  them.  In  this 
way  everything  went  smoothly,  and  we  were  soon 
gliding  out  of  Moscow  for  the  short  run,  while  I  sat 
back  alone  in  the  first-class  compartment  which  I 
had  had  reserved  for  myself. 

I  had  still  some  slight  preparations  to  make,  and 
wished  to  be  alone  to  think.  First  I  examined  my 
arms  carefully.  I  looked  to  every  chamber  of  my 
revolver.  Each  bullet  might  mean  a  life  before  the 
day  was  three  hours  older.  Next,  I  looked  to  my 
sword.  It  was  the  same  that  had  seen  me  through 
my  trouble  with  Devinsky  and  I  knew  it  as  a  man 
learns  to  know  the  feel  of  his  walking  stick.  Lastly, 
I  had  a  long  deadly  looking  dagger ;  the  sheath  fas- 
tened to  the  right  hip  of  my  trousers  where  it  could 
be  drawn  with  the  greatest  ease.  As  a  final  reserve 
I  had  in  a  small  secret  pocket  a  couple  of  pills — 
poison  enough  to  kill  half  a  dozen  men.  I  meant  to 
make  a  quick  end  of  things  if  they  went  wrong  with 
me. 

Satisfied  that  everything  was  in  order,  I  lay  back 
and  mapped  out  again  the  exact  disposition  of  the 
men  in  my  charge :  and  the  precise  course  I  meant  to 
take  at  the  critical  moment.  I  was  still  occupied  in 
this  when  the  train  drew  up  at  the  little  station, 
Vsatesk ;  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  later,  I  had 
reached  my  section  and  begun  to  post  my  men  and 


The  Four  Alder  Trees  295 

was  looking  about  me  for  the  four  alder  trees  and  the 
exact  spot  where  I  had  been  warned  to  take  my  post. 

Knowing  what  I  did  about  the  Nihilist  intentions, 
it  was  obviously  unnecessary  to  pay  much  heed  to  any 
part  of  the  line  except  that  where  I  knew  the  "acci- 
dent "  would  happen.  So  I  sent  out  a  couple  of  ser- 
geants to  dispose  the  men  on  that  part  of  the  line 
which  lay  to  the  north  of  the  four  trees. 

These  were  easily  found,  and  I  carried  out  to  the 
letter  the  Nihilist  instructions  to  post  the  five  men 
who  were  to  kill  the  Czar,  immediately  to  the  right, 
or  south,  of  the  line  formed  by  the  three  trees  as 
described  to  me. 

I  did  this  for  the  simple  reason  that  it  was  my  cue 
to  deceive  everyone  right  up  to  the  last  moment. 
Had  I  altered  the  disposition  of  these  men  they 
would  have  known  that  I  meant  treachery  to  them 
and  to  the  cause ;  and  what  the  consequences  would 
have  been  it  was  impossible  to  foresee.  As  it  was 
they  took  their  places  with  a  grim  readiness,  and  a 
significant  glance  that  spoke  to  me  eloquently. 

As  soon  as  all  the  troops  were  placed  I  took  my 
own  position  and,  girding  up  my  patience  to  wait  for 
the  coming  of  the  Imperial  train  and  with  it  my  op- 
portunity, I  scanned  every  inch  of  the  line  for  some 
evidence  of  the  Nihilists'  preparations.  I  could  not 
detect  a  sign  of  any  change  in  the  road  or  of  any 
preparation  of  any  kind.  The  track  was  not  very 
well  laid,  and  in  several  spots  it  bore  signs  of  recent 
repairs ;  but  beyond  that  there  was  nothing.  This 
fact  may  have  helped  to  conceal  the  work  of  the 
Nihilists,  of  course ;  but  although  I  knew  almost  the 
very  spot  where  it  had  been  carried  out,  I  could  de- 
tect nothing. 

The  suspense  was  trying  indeed ;  and  while  I  was 


296  By  Right  of  Sword 

waiting,  it  was  natural  enough,  perhaps,  that  my 
imagination  should  be  chiefly  busy  in  suggesting 
many  reasons  why  I  was  almost  bound  to  fail  in  my 
desperate  venture. 

I  did  not  know  in  which  train  the  Emperor  would 
travel.  I  knew  of  course  that  there  would  be  first 
the  pilot  engine;  there  would  also  be  the  baggage 
train ;  probably  also  a  special  train  for  the  suite  and 
servants ;  and  the  Imperial  train.  But  this  might  be 
first,  second,  or  third  of  the  three.  I  had  not  been 
told  as  to  this.  So  far  as  my  Nihilist  work  was  con- 
cerned, it  was  not  necessary  that  I  should  know  it. 
That  work  began  when  the  train  had  left  the  line; 
and  I  had  been  posted  near  where  that  must 
happen.  I  concluded,  therefore,  that  I  had  not  been 
trusted  with  a  single  jot  more  of  information  than  it 
was  deemed  necessary  for  me  to  have. 

I  should  have  to  depend  upon  the  Nihilists  who 
were  to  move  the  lever  being  accurately  informed  on 
this  point.  But  this  troubled  me.  If  the  worst  hap- 
pened, of  course  the  "  accident  "  must  take  place  and 
the  train  be  sent  off  the  line,  and  I  must  use  my 
opportunity  then.  What  I  wished  to  do  was  to  stop 
the  train  in  which  the  Emperor  would  travel ;  but  if 
I  did  not  know  which  that  was,  I  might  easily  make 
an  ugly  blunder  that  would  expose  me  to  danger  from 
the  Nihilists  and  not  only  do  me  no  good  with  the 
Court,  but  mark  me  out  as  an  object  for  ridicule  and 
suspicion. 

This  uncertainty  did  not  present  itself  to  disturb 
me  until  I  was  actually  on  the  line  waiting  for  the 
coming  of  the  trains,  and  face  to  face  with  the  neces- 
sity for  action. 

The  point  where  I  stood  was  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  to  the  north  of  the  station  and  the  line  was  so 


The  Four  Alder  Trees  297 

dead  straight,  that  it  could  be  watched  for  five  or  six 
miles  farther  north,  and  I  should  thus  have  ample 
notice  of  the  approach  of  the  trains.  It  was  a  very 
clear  day  moreover;  and  as  my  sight  was  exceedingly 
keen  and  good,  I  knew  I  should  be  able  to  catch  the 
earliest  glimpse  of  the  trains  whose  passing  meant 
so  much  to  me. 

I  managed  to  get  the  whole  of  the  company  under 
my  command  posted  more  than  two  hours  before  the 
Emperor  was  timed  to  pass ;  and  after  I  had  made  a 
show  of  inspecting  those  who  were  guarding  that  part 
of  the  section  which  I  knew  to  be  outside  the  sphere 
of  danger,  I  did  the  work  very  thoroughly  with  those 
who  were  in  that  part  where  the  grim,  hazardous 
drama  was  to  be  played. 

I  had  been  careful  to  keep  the  men  of  my  own 
regiment  close  to  me  and  on  both  sides  of  the  five 
Nihilist  spies ;  and  I  was  glad  to  see  that  many  of 
them  were  among  my  staunchest  admirers.  They 
would  have  followed  me  to  death  without  a  word; 
and  the  sergeant,  whose  name  was  Grostef,  the  most 
athletic  fellow  in  the  ranks,  was  my  sworn  champion, 
on  the  ground  that  I  was  the  only  man  in  the  regi- 
ment who  could  outrun,  and  out  jump  him,  and  beat 
him  with  any  weapon  he  liked  to  pick.  I  believe 
the  fellow  loved  me  for  my  strength  and  skill. 

The  time  dragged  a  bit  for  the  patient  fellows  on 
guard  who  were  not  near  enough  to  exchange  a  word 
without  the  sergeants  being  pretty  sure  to  hear  it ; 
and  the  eyes  of  all  soon  began  to  be  cast  longingly 
northward  in  patient  desire  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
trains.  Almost  the  only  men  who  shewed  no  signs 
of  feeling  were  the  five  to  whom  the  coming  of  the 
tram  meant,  as  they  knew  and  were  content  to 
know,  the  coming  of  death  also. 


298  By  Right  of  Sword 

They  stood  like  stone  figures :  impassive,  imraov- 
able  and  stern :  the  type  of  men  to  whom  death  in 
the  cause  of  duty  is  welcome. 

An  hour  before  the  time,  I  took  up  my  position 
finally  exactly  in  the  line  of  the  three  alder  trees,  and 
resolved  not  to  move  again  nor  to  have  my  attention 
drawn  away  from  the  rails  until  the  work  was  over ; 
and  I  only  lifted  my  eyes  now  and  then  from  the 
track  to  send  a  sharp,  quick  glance  along  the  line  to 
see  if  the  train  were  yet  in  sight. 

The  first  intimation  I  had  that  the  trains  were  get- 
ting near  came  from  the  opposite  direction.  Between 
us  and  the  Vsatesk  station,  about  half  a  mile  distant, 
was  a  signal  box,  and  the  light  wind  which  was  blow- 
ing from  the  south  carried  to  my  ears  the  sharp  smack 
of  the  signal  arm  as  it  fell  from  the  danger  point,  and 
signalled  the  line  all  clear. 

I  knew  then  it  was  a  matter  of  minutes.  My 
pulse  began  to  quicken  up  slightly ;  and  my  scrutiny 
of  the  track  and  rails  increased  in  intentness.  But 
the  minutes  dragged  on  and  the  announced  time  came 
and  passed.  I  knew  of  the  Czar's  passion  for  punc- 
tuality, and  after  this  delay  had  lasted  some  time  I  be- 
gan to  think  a  genuine  accident  must  have  caused 
it.  In  this  weary  suspense,  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  half 
an  hour,  three  quarters  passed,  and  my  watch  shewed 
3. 30,  and  still  not  a  sign  of  even  the  pilot  engine 
was  visible. 

Then  a  tiny  black  speck  in  the  far  straight  dis- 
tance, topped  by  a  small  white  steam  cloud,  told  me 
the  pilot  engine  was  coming  at  last ;  and  in  the  swift 
glances  spared  from  my  scrutiny  of  the  rails,  I  saw 
it  grow  larger  and  blacker  as  it  covered  the  interven- 
ing space,  until  it  thundered  up,  and  crashed  and 
lumbered  by  us  and  began  to  fade  in  the  opposite  di« 


The  Four  Alder  Trees          299 

rection,  disappearing  round  the  slight  curve  which 
was  between  us  and  Vsatesk  station. 

What  the  interval  would  be  between  the  pilot  en- 
gine and  the  first  train,  and  what  that  first  train 
would  be,  I  did  not  know.  The  intervals  always 
differed;  sometimes  five  minutes,  sometimes  ten, 
sometimes  as  much  as  twenty  minutes  were  allowed 
to  elapse.  But  the  interval  was  nothing  compared 
with  the  question — which  train  would  follow?  On 
that  might  turn  the  whole  result  of  the  affair. 

All  the  men  had  now  straightened  up,  and  even 
the  five  en  my  right  shewed  signs  of  being  in« 
terested.  I  saw  them  looking  up  with  stealthy, 
longing,  deadly  fixedness  for  the  coming  of  their 
prey. 

But  on  the  line  itself  there  was  no  sign  of  change. 

I  had  understood  that  at  some  point  the  rails  would 
be  shifted  so  as  to  throw  the  train  off  the  line.  But 
search  as  closely  as  I  would,  I  could  not  detect  the 
least  sign  of  any  preparation  for  this.  The  uncer- 
tainty which  this  circumstance  caused  added  to  my 
excitement  and  the  suspense  became  doubly  trying. 
It  quickened  up  to  a  climax  when  I  saw  once  again 
in  the  distance  the  growing  black  speck  with  the 
white  crown,  that  told  me  the  second  train  was  at 
hand. 

I  kept  my  eyes  glued  to  the  rails  and  my  ears 
strained  to  catch  the  first  notification  either  by  sight 
or  sound  that  the  trap  had  been  laid.  Without  such 
a  sign,  I  dared  not  do  anything. 

Yet  nothing  happened ;  and  the  black  speck  in  the 
distance  developed  into  a  distinct  shape,  and  increased 
quickly  in  size,  and  a  slight  hum  came  vibrating  along 
the  rails.  The  hum  grew  into  the  sound  of  muffled 
drums;  then  swelled  to  a  heavy  threatening  rumble; 


300  By  Right  of  Sword 

and  rapidly  climaxed  to  a  crashing,  ratlling,  revel* 
berating  roar,  as  the  clattering,  clanging,  jolting  bag 
gage  train  lurched  heavily  by,  and  roared  away 
southward. 

It  passed  safely  every  point  on  the  line;  and  the 
old  question  which  would  be  next  recurred  with 
greater  strain  than  before,  and  drummed  itself  in  on 
my  brain  like  a  sharp  throbbing  shoot  of  pain. 

When  for  the  third  time  the  little  warning  speck 
in  the  distance  told  me  that  either  the  Czar  or  his 
suite  must  now  be  coming,  my  excitement  waxed 
well  nigh  out  of  control ;  my  hand  stole  on  to  the 
hilt  of  my  sword  and  loosened  it  in  the  scabbard,  my 
fingers  played  on  the  stock  of  my  revolver,  and  my 
eyes  never  for  an  instant  left  the  rails,  but  ran  up 
and  down  them  with  swift,  eager,  searching  glances, 
hungry  for  a  sign. 

As  the  distance  between  me  and  the  oncoming 
train  lessened,  the  tension  increased  and  my  sense  of 
baffled  impotence,  when  I  detected  no  sign  any- 
where on  the  rails,  was  staggering.  By  a  great 
effort  only  could  I  prevent  myself  from  doing  some- 
thing to  stop  the  approach  of  the  train  and  my  eager- 
ness was  multiplied  infinitely  when,  in  a  glance  which 
I  could  not  keep  from  straying  to  the  murderous  gang 
on  my  right,  I  saw  them  one  and  all  making  ready 
stealthily  for  their  deadly  work. 

But  no  sign  on  the  track  gave  me  my  cue  for  ac- 
tion, and  I  could  only  wait,  full  of  my  resolve  to  do 
all  that  had  to  be  done  should  this  be  the  train  to  be 
thrown  off  the  line. 

It  came  thundering  up  and  passed  me  without  my 
being  able  to  take  a  step  of  any  sort.  Like  the  other 
it  passed  along  the  whole  section  of  the  line  in  safety, 
though  I  saw,  with  an  astonishment  that  for  the  mo- 


The  Four  Alder  Trees          301 

ment  bewildered  me,  that  the  Imperial  saloon  was 
the  central  carriage. 

Obviously  the  Czar  had  passed  in  safety.  And  I 
jumped  instantly  to  the  conclusion  that  for  some 
reason  the  mechanism,  which  was  to  have  derailed 
the  train,  had  failed  to  act. 

But  an  incident  which  occurred  almost  as  soon  as 
the  train  had  passed,  shewed  me  the  falseness  of  this 
conclusion. 

I  was  still  staring  fixedly  at  the  track,  when  at  a 
point  that  was  exactly  opposite  me,  and  thus  in  a  di- 
rect line  with  the  three  alder  trees,  I  saw  the  two 
rails  swing  aside  from  the  track,  just  enough  to  turn 
a  train  off  the  rails  that  was  travelling  over  the  place. 
There  was  scarcely  a  click  of  sound:  and,  after  a 
moment  they  swung  back  as  silently  into  position. 

I  read  the  whole  thing  in  a  moment. 

The  operator  knew  that  the  moment  had  come  for 
action  and  wished  to  make  quite  sure  that  the  mech- 
anism was  in  due  order.  The  sight  increased  in- 
finitely  the  oppressive  weight  and  strain  of  the  sus- 
pense. I  knew  now  that  the  Czar  was  in  the  third 
train,  and  that  the  Imperial  carriage  had  been  sent 
on  with  the  second  as  a  ruse. 

I  knew,  too,  that  the  supreme  hour  of  my  struggle 
was  at  hand,  in  all  grim  reality. 

I  could  now  relieve  my  eyes  from  the  straining 
task  of  watching  the  track,  and  I  looked  about  me. 
The  five  men  to  my  right  were  also  on  the  alert. 
They  had  not  been  misled  by  the  ruse  of  the  empty 
court  carriage,  and  were  waiting  in  deadly  readiness 
to  strike  the  blow  which  they  had  come  out  to  deal. 

Then  I  turned  my  eyes  northward  along  the 
straight  level  track,  and  just  as  I  did  so  I  caught  in 
the  distance  the  first  glimpse  -f  the  third  train,  i« 


30 2  By  Right  of  Sword 

which  I  knew,  as  certainly  as  if  I  could  already  see 
him,  that  the  Czar  was  travelling. 

As  the  train  loomed  nearer  and  the  moment  for 
action  approached,  my  spirits  rose  also.  Uncertainty 
was  at  an  end.  A  few  minutes  would  decide  whether 
I  was  to  live  or  die. 

I  braced  myself  for  the  biggest  effort  of  my  life. 

I  was  like  a  man  whose  nostrils  expand  as  thej 
breathe  in  the  scent  of  deadly  fight. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE    ATTACK   ON   THE  CZAR, 

THOUGH  I  did  not  now  care  whether  the  rails  were 
disturbed  again  or  not,  seeing  that  I  knew  where  the 
mechanism  was  and  could  point  to  my  having  dis- 
covered, as  the  reason  for  what  I  was  about  to  do,  I 
kept  glancing  at  the  spot,  while  I  let  the  train  ap- 
proach unchecked  near  enough  to  have  all  eyes  drawn 
to  my  actions. 

I  guessed  the  distance  which  the  brakes  would  take 
to  act  and  when  the  train  had  reached  a  point  such 
as  I  judged  necessary,  I  sprang  on  the  track  between 
the  rails  and  waving  my  arms  excitedly,  thundered 
out  at  the  top  of  my  voice  a  warning  to  stop  the 
train. 

This  was  taken  up  by  the  soldiers  who  repeated 
the  shouts  and  cries,  and  a  moment  later  the  shriek- 
ing whistle  of  the  engine  told  us  the  warning  had 
been  heeded  and  that  the  brakes  were  on  at  full 
pressure. 

With  a  succession  of  whirring,  grating,  rasping, 
grinding  jerks  the  train  slackened  quickly,  and  in  a 
moment  everything  was  plunged  in  indescribable 
commotion.  The  soldiers  on  both  sides  began  to 
close  in  on  the  fast  stopping  train. 

"  Close  ranks  round  the  whole  train/*  I  shouted  to 
Sergeant  Grostef :  and  ordered  him  away  to  bring  up 
the  men  as  quickly  as  possible. 


304  By  Right  of  Sword 

But  I  had  made  one  miscalculation  that  was  nearly 
proving  fatal  to  everything.  When  I  sprang  on  the 
line  to  stop  the  train,  the  rails  had  not  been  moved, 
and  even  now  for  some  reason  they  remained  in  posi- 
tion. I  had  calculated  to  cause  the  train  to  be 
stopped  so  that  it  would  reach  the  false  points  at  a 
slow  pace,  and  thus  be  derailed  close  to  where  I 
stood.  I  judged  that  the  jerk  with  which  the  train 
would  leave  the  line  would  be  sufficient  to  bring  it  to 
a  standstill,  but  not  enough  to  overturn  it;  and  I 
should  thus  be  able  to  get  at  once  to  the  presence  of 
the  Emperor,  and  tell  my  story  in  person  at  the  mo- 
ment when  he  would  be  most  affected  by  the  occur- 
rence. But  as  the  rails  remained  in  position — owing 
probably  to  the  fact  that  the  man  operating  them  had 
seen  that  the  train  had  been  stopped  and  deemed  it 
best  to  do  nothing — there  was  nothing  to  stay  the 
train's  progress,  except  the  brakes. 

To  my  horror  I  saw  it  pass  me  with  just  about 
sufficient  speed  to  carry  it  right  into  the  middle  of 
the  five  men  who  were  waiting  there  to  murder  the 
Emperor. 

With  a  loud  shout  to  the  men  nearest  to  me  to  fol- 
low I  dashed  after  it,  making  sure  as  I  ran  in  which 
carriage  was  the  Emperor. 

The  first  of  the  five  men  planted  himself  right  in 
my  path,  and  fired  his  revolver  point-blank  at  me 
when  I  was  only  three  or  four  paces  from  him.  He 
missed  and  then  drew  his  sword  to  engage  me. 
With  scarcely  a  second's  delay  I  cut  down  his  sword 
arm  and  a  second  slash  at  his  neck  as  I  ran  past,  sent 
him  reeling  down  the  embankment,  all  but  headless, 
with  the  blood  spurting  from  the  fearful  wounds  I 
had  inflicted. 

My  one  thought  was  now  the  Emperor;  and  I  saw 


I  tore  it  from  him. 


—Page  305. 


The  Attack  on  the  Czar         305 

that  the  other  assassins  had  discovered  him  in  the 
train  as  quickly  as  I. 

One  of  them  stood  with  a  bomb,  ready  poised  in 
his  hand,  intending  to  hurl  it  right  into  the  carriage. 
I  tore  it  from  him  and  threw  it  with  all  my  force  over 
the  embankment  and  then  plunged  my  sword  into  the 
villain's  heart. 

The  bomb  exploded  the  instant  it  touched  the 
ground  below,  and  the  effects  were  perfectly  awe- 
some. There  was  a  prodigious  roar ;  the  earth  reeled 
as  if  under  a  heavy  blow,  and  a  number  of  the  soldiers 
were  thrown  to  the  ground;  the  train  seemed  to  be 
shaken  bodily :  and  before  the  reverberation  of  the 
explosion  ceased,  the  splintering  of  wood  and  the 
crashing  of  glass  told  of  desperate  injuries  to  some 
of  the  carriages. 

The  saloon  carriage  in  which  the  Czar  travelled 
suffered  most,  and  it  was  so  violently  shaken  that  the 
windows  were  broken,  the  sides  split,  and  the  doors 
jammed. 

It  was  a  moment  for  strong  heads;  and,  thank 
God,  I  was  able  to  keep  mine. 

The  three  surviving  Nihilists  were  among  the  first 
to  shake  off  the  effects  of  the  shock,  and  two  of  them 
made  instantly  for  the  door  of  the  Czar's  carriage. 

His  Majesty  had  been  at  the  window  and  must 
have  seen  me  tear  the  bomb  from  the  man's  hand ; 
but  the  shock  had  driven  him  away  now.  Glancing 
round  I  saw  Sergeant  Grostef  and  one  or  two  more 
of  my  men  had  recovered  themselves  and  were  run- 
ning towards  us.  Seconds  meant  lives  now;  and  I 
dashed  forward  and  sprang  upon  the  steps  of  the  car- 
riage after  the  two  who  were  striving  with  might  and 
main  to  tear  the  door  of  the  saloon  open.  It  was 
partly  jammed  by  the  effects  of  the  explosion,  and 

30 


306  By  Right  of  Sword 

was  being  defended  by  two  men,  who  to  my  surprise 
were  His  Majesty's  only  companions  in  the  saloon. 
I  learnt  the  reason  for  this  afterwards ;  another  in- 
stance of  the  damnable  treachery  which  hedged  the 
Emperor  round. 

Those  inside  were  like  children  before  the  mad- 
dened Nihilists;  and  the  door  was  wrenched  open 
and  the  Czar's  companions  shot  down  but  not  killed, 
just  as  I  reached  the  carriage  platform.  I  shot  one 
of  the  Nihilists  instantly,  but  I  believe  the  other 
would  have  succeeded  in  his  deadly  purpose  had  it 
not  been  for  Sergeant  Grostef  who  entered  the  car- 
riage on  my  heels.  He  dashed  forward  and  threw 
himself  on  the  second  man  and  both  went  to  the 
ground  in  a  fearful  struggle. 

The  Emperor,  though  as  brave  as  a  man  could  be, 
was  for  a  moment  in  complete  bewilderment. 
Caught  weaponless  and  menaced  by  what  seemed 
certain  death,  his  nerves  all  unhinged  by  the  explo- 
sion, his  companions  struck  down  before  his  face,  he 
had  rushed  away  in  an  effort  to  escape  from  what 
looked  like  a  hellish  snare,  and  was  seeking  to  fly 
by  the  other  door,  when  the  fifth  of  the  murderous 
crew  attacked  him  with  drawn  sword.  Seeing  the 
man  in  uniform,  the  Czar  believed  that  the  whole  of 
the  guard  had  mutinied  and  meant  to  murder  him. 

"  Is  there  no  one  to  help  me  ?  "  he  cried,  looking 
round. 

"Yes,  to  hell,"  growled  the  man,  with  a  grim 
quip,  as  he  rushed  upon  him. 

I  had  dropped  my  sword  in  entering  the  saloon,  and 
my  revolver  had  been  dashed  out  of  my  hands,  so  that 
I  could  do  nothing  but  fling  myself  before  the  Em- 
peror, and  give  my  body  to  save  his. 

I  dashed  in  between  them,  uttering  a  loud  and 


The  Attack  on  the  Czai          307 

violent  shout,  in  the  hope  of  attracting  the  man's  at- 
tention to  me.  But  he  was  too  grim  a  devil  to  be 
turned  from  his  work ;  and  the  only  effect  of  my  in- 
terference was  to  impel  him  to  greater  efforts. 

But  he  was  too  late. 

Taking  a  liberty  with  his  Imperial  Majesty,  which 
at  another  time  might  have  cost  me  my  freedom  and 
perhaps  my  life,  I  pushed  the  Emperor  violently  on 
one  side,  and  threw  myself  upon  his  murderer. 

The  thrust  that  was  meant  for  the  Emperor  passed 
through  my  neck,  and  I  rejoiced  as  I  felt  the  man's 
steel  run  into  my  flesh.  I  had  saved  the  Emperor's 
life,  even  if  I  had  lost  my  own.  Then  I  called  to 
Grostef  as  I  felt  the  villain  draw  out  the  steel  and 
Raw  the  light  of  unsated  murder  lust  redden  his  eyes. 

With  a  desperate  effort  I  seized  his  blade,  and 
though  it  cut  and  gashed  my  hands  through  and 
through  as  the  man  tugged  and  twisted  it  to  wrest  it 
from  me,  I  held  on  till  the  villain  put  his  foot  against 
my  chest  and  dragged  the  weapon  away,  despite  my 
most  desperate  effort.  Then  he  drew  it  back  to 
plunge  it  into  the  Czar's  heart.  But  at  that  moment 
I  saw  Grostef 's  great  blade  swing  in  the  air  with  tre- 
mendous force,  and  sever  the  miscreant's  head  from 
fcis  body. 

But  the  Czar  was  safe :  and  as  I  rolled  over  near 
nis  feet,  I  rallied  all  my  strength  for  a  last  effort  and 
cried : — 

"  God  save  your  Majesty." 

After  that  I  had  a  dim  feeling  that  good  old  Gros- 
tef  and  the  Emperor  were  both  bending  over  me  try- 
ing to  stanch  the  tblood  that  came  flowing  from  my 
throat  and  mouth,  choking  me,  from  the  wound  which 
the  villain  had  meant  for  the  Emperor.  But  I  had 
saved  him  and  he  had  seen  I  had  saved  him. 


308  By  Right  of  Sword 

"Who  is  it?  "  I  heard  the  Czar  ask. 

"  Lieutenant  Petrovitch,  your  Majesty,  of  the  Mos- 
cow  Infantry  Regiment,"  answered  the  old  soldier. 

"Your  Majesty,  I  implore  you,  take  care.  You 
are  in  an  ambush  of  Nihilist  villains,"  cried  some 
one  stepping  forward  hastily.  "  I  know  that  man  " — 
pointing  to  me — "  he  is  the  most  dare-devil  rebel  of 
them  all,  and  has  planned  this  business  for  your  as- 
sassination. For  God's  sake,  have  a  care.  This  is 
the  most  devilish  snare  that  was  ever  vainly  laid. " 

The  Emperor  moved  away  from  me  quickly  and 
looked  in  the  deepest  perplexity  from  one  to  another 
of  the  group  who  had  now  crowded  into  the  car- 
riage. 

"That  is  a  strange  thing  to  hear,"  said  His  Maj- 
esty. "  The  man  has  just  saved  my  life  at  the  in- 
finite hazard  of  his  own.  You  see  him.  But  for 
him  and  for  this  good  fellow  " — waving  a  hand  toward 
old  Grostef — "the  thrust  you  see  there  would  have 
been  in  my  heart." 

"  Yet  I  pledge  myself  to  prove  what  I  say.  You 
know  I  do  not  speak  at  random.  They  are  probably 
together  in  this." 

Old  Grostef  growled  out  a  stiff  oath  that  was  lost 
in  his  beard  and  then  without  releasing  my  head 
which  was  supported  on  his  knee,  he  brought  his 
hand  to  the  salute  and  said  gruffly : 

"Nihilist  or  no  Nihilist,  your  Majesty,  the  lieu- 
tenant will  soon  be  a  dead  man,  choked  by  his  own 
blood,  if  his  wounds  are  not  dressed." 

"  There  will  be  one  traitor  the  less,  then,"  said  the 
man  who  had  accused  me,  accompanying  the  words 
with  a  brutal  sneer. 

"  On  the  contrary,  Grand  Duke,"  said  the  Emperor 
angrily,  "his  life  is  my  special  care.  If  he  be  a 


The  Attack  on  the  Czar         309 

traitor  it  seems  to  me  I  should  pray  to  God  to  grant 
me  thousands  of  such  traitors  in  my  army." 

"  God  save  your  Majesty,  and  Amen  to  that,"  cried 
old  Grostef,  unable  to  keep  his  tongue  between  his 
teeth  at  that,  and  positively  trembling  in  his  excite- 
ment. 

"  Silence,"  said  the  Emperor.  "  And  now  let  all 
haste  be  made  to  get  on  to  the  city." 

"As  your  Majesty  pleases,"  said  the  man,  whom  I 
guessed  was  the  Grand  Duke  against  whom  Prince 
Bilbassoff  had  warned  me.  "  I  will  make  good  my 
words,  and  we  will  save  the  life  to  take  it." 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

THE  TRUTH   OUT    AT   LAST. 

WHILE  an  examination  of  the  train  was  made  to  see 
how  much  of  it  could  proceed,  my  wounds  were 
roughly  dressed,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  ascertained 
that  only  one  of  the  saloons  could  go  on,  the  Em- 
peror said  that  I  should  travel  in  it  with  himself  and 
his  immediate  party,  and  instructions  were  wired  to 
Moscow  that  a  doctor  should  be  sent  out  to  the  small 
station  just  outside  the  city,  where  it  had  been  ar- 
ranged already  that  the  Emperor  should  change  into 
the  Imperial  train  that  had  passed  empty.  The  ob- 
ject of  this  was  that  the  entry  into  the  city  should 
be  made  from  the  royal  train,  and  thus  no  comment 
be  raised. 

As  I  was  being  moved  into  the  other  carriage  an 
incident  happened  which  I  knew  might  have  a  very 
sinister  effect  upon  my  fortunes.  My  men  cheered 
lustily  as  soon  as  they  caught  sight  of  me ;  but  when 
the  cheers  had  died  away  a  wild  and  vehement  curse 
greeted  me  from  the  only  one  of  the  five  Nihilists 
who  had  life  enough  left  in  him  to  grind  his  teeth 
and  hiss  out  an  imprecation. 

"He  was  our  kader,  damn  him,"  cried  the  man, 
"  and  betrayed  us.  To  hell  with  such  a  traitor !  "  and 
he  poured  out  his  curses  with  tremendous  volubility, 
till  a  soldier,  standing  by,  clapped  his  hand  on  his 
mouth  and  silenced  him. 


The  Truth  Out  at  Last          311 

"  Your  Majesty  hears  that  ?  "  said  the  Grand  Duke, 
and  I  saw  the  Emperor  was  greatly  impressed  and 
looked  at  me  doubtingly. 

I  could  not  speak  then,  but  I  had  sense  enough 
left  to  understand  my  peril;  and  during  the  short 
journey  I  was  thinking  busily. 

All  the  time  the  Emperor  was  in  close  consultation 
with  the  Grand  Duke,  and  it  was  easy  to  see  that 
poison  was  being  poured  into  the  Imperial  ear  to  prej- 
udice me.  But  I  could  do  nothing  until  my  wounds 
had  been  properly  dressed  and  the  power  to  speak 
freely  restored.  At  present  I  could  not  utter  a  word 
without  bringing  the  blood  into  my  mouth  :  and  I  lay 
chafing  and  fretting  and  fevering  myself,  as  I  watched 
what  I  read  to  be  the  conviction  of  my  treachery  steal- 
ing over  the  face  of  the  Czar. 

I  knew  his  character  well  enough  to  appreciate  my 
danger  fully.  The  one  subject  on  which  his  mind 
was  warped  and  morbid  in  its  sensitiveness  was  the 
fear  of  assassination:  and  under  its  influence  he 
would  believe  almost  anything  that  was  told  to  him. 
The  personal  influence  of  the  Grand  Duke  was,  more- 
over, enormous. 

As  we  were  nearing  the  little  station  where  the 
change  of  trains  was  to  be  made,  the  Emperor 
crossed  the  saloon  and  spoke  to  me. 

"  Lieutenant  Petrovitch,  can  you  hear  me  ?  " 

I  looked  at  him  and  tried  to  raise  my  bandaged, 
mangled  hand  to  the  salute,  but  could  not. 

"  Don't  move,"  he  said,  hastily,  seeing  the  attempt. 
"  The  charges  made  against  you  are  of  the  most  ter- 
rible kind  and  there  certainly  seems  to  be  much  more 
ground  than  I  at  first  thought.  But  my  own  eyes  saw 
what  you  did,  and  you  will  have  the  fullest  opportu- 
nity of  explaining  everything.  For  the  time  you  are 


312  By  Right  of  Sword 

under  arrest,  necessarily;  but  it  will  be  my  personal 
charge  to  see  that  everything  is  done  for  you  that 
surgical  skill  can  do.  A  few  hours  and  proper  treat- 
ment will,  I  hope,  render  you  able  to  give  the  neces- 
sary explanation,  and  in  the  mean  time  you  will  see 
no  one  but  the  doctors.  I  myself  shall  then  see  and 
question  you." 

He  was  turning  to  leave  me  then,  when  I  made  a 
sign  that  I  wished  to  answer,  and  he  bent  forward  to 
listen. 

"Your  Majesty  will  have  a  care,"  cried  the  Grand 
Duke,  who  had  heard  and  watched  everything  closely. 

"  Do  you  think  the  man  breathes  poison  that  I 
should  be  afraid  of  him,  maimed  and  bleeding  and 
helpless  as  he  is?  "  was  the  reply. 

I  made  a  great  effort  to  speak,  but  it  nearly  killed 
me,  and  with  all  my  struggle  I  could  get  only  a  word 
at  a  time,  and  that  with  tremendous  difficulty. 

"  Your  — Majesty — keep — my — men — watching — 
line — where — I — stood — by — alder — trees." 

"It  shall  be  done,"  he  said;  and  I  saw  him  ex- 
change looks  with  the  Grand  Duke  and  then  shrug 
his  shoulders  and  lift  his  eyebrows  as  he  left  the 
saloon. 

Directly  he  had  left,  the  doctors  came  round  me, 
and  I  resigned  myself  cheerfully  and  completely  into 
their  hands.  But  the  Czar  had  given  me  the  tonic 
that  had  done  more  than  all  the  doctors'  efforts  to 
pull  me  round  quickly.  I  was  to  have  a  private 
audience ;  and  it  would  not  be  my  fault,  if  I  did  not 
win  my  way  to  freedom  and  Olga. 

Some  three  or  four  hours  after  the  Czar  had  left 
me  I  was  moved  on  to  Moscow  in  the  saloon  where 
I  lay;  and  my  reception  there  was  most  mingled. 
Some  garbled  accounts  of  the  attempt  on  the  Em- 


The  Truth  Out  at  Last          313 

peror's  life  had  got  about,  and  when  I  was  carried 
from  the  saloon  and  placed  in  a  State  carriage  and 
then  driven  away  in  the  midst  of  a  large  military 
escort,  the  people  were  at  a  loss  to  know  who  I  was, 
and  whether  I  was  a  Nihilist  to  be  hooted  or  a  hero 
to  be  cheered.  They  were  in  a  noisy  mood  that  day, 
and  did  both  therefore,  until  the  party  neared  the 
Palace  and  it  was  clear  I  was  being  taken  there. 
This  decided  that  I  must  be  a  hero  and  the  hooting 
ceased  and  the  cheering  shouts  rang  out  with  a  deaf- 
ening roar. 

I  was  glad  to  be  done  with  that  part  of  the  busi- 
ness. I  knew  well  that  the  same  throats  that  had 
been  stretched  in  shouts  of  acclamation  were  quite  as 
ready  to  be  strained  in  yelling  for  my  death.  The 
populace  wanted  an  excuse  for  a  noise,  and  it  was  all 
one  to  them,  so  far  as  personal  gratification  went, 
whether  they  yelled  in  a  man's  honour,  or  roared  for 
his  death. 

The  day's  round  of  festivities  was  a  particularly 
full  one  for  the  Emperor,  and  it  was  many  hours  be- 
fore he  could  possibly  be  at  liberty ;  but  every  hour 
added  to  my  strength.  The  doctors  soon  ascertained 
that  the  wound  in  the  neck  was  not  a  very  dangerous 
one,  though  it  had  been  a  ghastly  one  enough  to  look 
upon.  The  thrust  had  been  within  an  ace  of  killing 
me;  but  the  man's  weapon  had  missed  the  arteries 
and  the  vertebrae,  though  it  had  sliced  an  ugly  wound 
in  the  windpipe,  having  let  the  blood  into  it,  and  thus 
nearly  choked  me.  My  hands  were  badly  cut,  very 
badly  mangled  indeed ;  and  the  doctors  thought  more 
seriously  of  them  than  of  the  wound  in  the  neck,  so 
far  as  after-consequences  were  concerned.  But  they 
soon  patched  me  up  sufficiently  to  enable  me  to  speak 
if  necessary. 


314  By  Right  of  Sword 

With  this  knowledge  I  awaited  the  Emperor's 
coming  with  such  patience  as  I  could  command. 

It  was  past  midnight  before  he  came;  and  then 
only  to  ask  as  to  my  condition.  He  seemed  pleased 
that  I  was  so  much  better :  and  closely  questioned 
the  doctor  who  had  remained  in  constant  attendance 
on  me  as  to  the  exact  nature  of  my  wounds  and  when 
I  should  be  able  to  undertake  the  fatigue  of  a  long 
conversation.  I  might  do  it  at  once  with  care,  was 
the  doctor's  report;  but  it  would  be  better  after  a 
night's  rest. 

"Then  it  shall  be  to-morrow  evening.  Certain 
matters  have  yet  to  be  investigated,"  said  the  Czar, 
turning  to  me,  "  and  you  will  have  full  opportunity  of 
answering  all  that  maybe  said."  His  manner  had 
ceased  to  shew  the  kindliness  I  thought  I  had  de- 
tected in  the  earlier  questions  about  my  condition, 
and  I  judged  that  his  mind  had  received  further  prej- 
udice against  me. 

I  felt  that  delay  was  dangerous  to  me ;  but  I  could 
not  help  myself.  I  said  I  should  prefer  to  answer 
all  his  questions  at  once  and  tell  him  all  I  had  to  say ; 
but  he  turned  from  me  somewhat  peremptorily  with 
a  short  reply  that  he  had  made  his  decision.  And 
with  that  he  left  the  room. 

I  augured  ill  from  the  Emperor's  demeanour ;  but 
as  any  change  in  him  would  only  increase  my  need 
for  the  greatest  possible  amount  of  strength,  I  thrust 
all  my  troubles  resolutely  out  of  my  thoughts  and 
went  to  sleep.  I  slept  into  the  next  day  when  the 
doctor's  report  was  altogether  favourable.  My  head, 
too,  was  clear  and  my  wits  vigorous  for  the  ordeal 
that  was  in  store  for  me. 

In  the  morning,  the  Emperor  sent  to  inquire  my 
condition,  instead  of  coming  in  person,  and  I  inter 


The  Truth  Out  at  Last          315 

preted  this  as  a  sign  that  the  thermometer  of  favour 
was  still  going  down. 

When  he  came  in  the  evening  the  Grand  Duke 
was  with  him,  and  I  saw  by  the  expression  of  the  lat- 
ter's  face  that  he  at  any  rate  was  anticipating  a  tri- 
umph and  my  downfall. 

"  Now,  Lieutenant,  you  are  well  enough  to  answer 
questions,  tell  the  truth.  I  warn  you  it  must  be  the 
whole  truth ;  for  I  have  had  many  surprising  facts 
brought  to  my  knowledge,  and  all  your  answers  can 
be  at  once  tested — and  will  be. " 

"Your  Majesty,  I  pledge  myself  to  answer  every 
question.  But  before  I  do  that  there  is  one  com- 
munication I  should  like  to  make  to  yourself  alone." 

"  You  can  make  any  statement  you  like  afterwards. 
Now,  tell  me,  are  you  a  Nihilist?  " 

"  I  am  not,"  I  answered  firmly. 

"Well,  what  have  been — Stay,  you  acted  bravely 
yesterday,  you  are  charged  with  this:  that  you  are 
and  have  been  a  Nihilist  for  years  and  that  your  sis- 
ter is  one  also;  that  you  were  concerned  twelve 
months  ago  in  the  attack  upon  the  Governor  of  Mos- 
cow; that  before  and  since  then  you  have  been  in 
constant  communication  with  the  Nihilist  leaders; 
that  with  your  own  hand  you  assassinated  Christian 
Tueski,  after  having  yourself  volunteered  for  the 
work;  that  you  proposed  the  plot  which  by  the 
mercy  of  God  failed  yesterday ;  that  you  were  privy 
to  the  whole  matter  and  went  out  to  assist  in  the 
deadly  work." 

"  Who  are  my  accusers,  Sire  ?  ** 

"  It  is  the  accusation,  not  the  accuser  you  have  to 
answer,"  replied  the  Emperor,  sternly.  "  You  are  to 
answer,  not  question." 

"  I  have  a  complete  answer,  which  happily  I  can 


316  By  Right  of  Sword 

support  with  ample  proof.  Until  less  than  two 
months  ago,  I  had  never  exchanged  a  word  with  a 
Nihilist.  ..." 

"  He  is  a  liar,"  burst  out  the  Grand  Duke,  vehe- 
mently. 

A  hot  answer  rose  to  my  lips,  but  I  checked  it. 

"  Then,  Sire,  a  band  of  them  set  upon  me  in  the 
street  and  would  have  assassinated  me,  had  I  not 
beaten  them  off  with  my  sword.  One  of  them  I  took 
prisoner  to  my  rooms,  and  from  him  I  learnt  that  I 
was  supposed  to  have.  .  .  ." 

"  Supposed !  "  exclaimed  the  Grand  Duke. 

"  Supposed  to  have  incurred  their  wrath.  They 
had  sentenced  me  to  death,  it  appeared,  and  that  was 
the  first  attempt  at  my  execution.  I  then  took  a 
course  which  I  am  well  aware  will  seem  peculiar.  I 
went  to  a  meeting  at  which  the  death  of  Christian 
Tueski  was  resolved,  and  I  was  selected  to  kill  him." 

"  You  confess  this  ?  "  cried  the  Emperor,  harshly. 
"  You,  my  officer  ?  " 

"  Sire,  I  beg  your  patience.  I  did  this  because  I 
did  not  think  I  should  be  in  Russia  many  hours ;  and 
because  I  thought  I  could  gain  the  time  I  needed  by 
pretending  to  be  at  the  head  of  the  conspiracy.  Not 
for  a  moment  did  I  intend  to  lay  a  finger  on  him.  I 
am  no  assassin." 

"  But  he  was  assassinated  by  you  Nihilists,"  cried 
the  Emperor,  with  bitter  indignation.  "  The  whole 
land  has  rung  with  the  news. 

"  The  man  is  a  madman,  or  takes  us  for  fools,"  said 
the  Grand  Duke. 

"  I  am  as  innocent  of  his  death,  Sire,  as  a  child, 
except,  I  fear,  indirectly.  He  died  by  the  hand  of 
his  wife,  whom  on  the  very  day  of  his  death  I  had 
warned  of  the  plot  to  kill  him." 


The  Truth  Out  at  Last          317 

"Y-rur  proofs,  man,  your  proofs,"  cried  the  Em« 
peror  impatiently. 

"That  most  unfortunate  woman  had  been  under 
the  impression  that  there  had  been  an  intrigue  be- 
tween myself  and  her  and.  ..." 

"  Half  Moscow  knew  of  it,"  interrupted  the  Duke. 

"  Until  less  than  two  months  ago,  I  had  never  seen 
her  in  all  my  life,"  I  returned.  "  She  thought  by 
this  deed  to  coil  such  a  web  round  me  that  I  could 
not  escape  from  marrying  her.  Had  I  wished  to 
kill  the  man,  I  had  ample  opportunity  on  the  very 
afternoon  of  the  day  he  was  murdered,  for  I  was 
closeted  alone  with  him  for  two  hours.  He,  too,  had 
set  his  bullies  on  to  me  and  I  went  to  settle  things 
with  him  and  to  get  permits  to  leave  the  country  for 
myself  and  Olga  Petrovitch.  I  got  them,  and  that 
night  his  wife  thrust  into  his  heart  a  dagger  she  be- 
lieved was  mine,  added  the  Nihilist  motto,  and  then 
hid  the  sheath,  with  the  name  '  Alexis  Petrovitch  '  on 
it,  intending  to  use  it  as  a  means  to  force  me  to 
marry  her  under  the  threat  of  charging  me  with 
the  crime." 

"  Your  repute  does  not  belie  you,"  growled  the 
Duke.  "You're  the  most  callous  dare-devil  I  ever 
heard  of  to  tell  a  tale  of  that  kind.  To  choose  a 
woman's  petticoats ! " 

The  Emperor  turned  to  him  and  held  up  a  hand  in 
protest. 

"  In  that  way  I  got  the  credit  for  that  crime ;  and 
I  was  then  approached  about  the  attempt  of  yester- 
day." 

"  Ah ! "     The  Emperor  drew  in  a  sharp  breath. 

"  I  listened  to  what  was  said,  believing  still  that  I 
should  be  out  of  the  country  before  the  time,  and  in- 
tending in  any  event  to  make  the  success  of  the 


3i 8  By  Right  of  Sword 

scheme  impossible.  A  series  of  extraordinary  events 
prevented  my  leaving,  and  when  more  details  were 
told  me,  I  saw  there  must  be  someone  in  the  matter 
very  near  your  Majesty's  throne.  I  thought  I  could 
perhaps  discover  who  that  was  and  thus,  by  remain- 
ing, serve  your  Majesty  most  effectively.  I  think  I 
know  now  who  it  is,  or  at  least  have  the  means  of 
obtaining  proof.  Up  to  nme  o'clock  yesterday  morn- 
ing the  pivot  on  which  everything  was  to  turn  was  yet 
unsettled.  A  part  was  assigned  to  me  days  ago,  on 
the  understanding  that  certain  military  duties  would 
be  confided  to  me ;  that  a  change  in  the  whole  plans 
would  be  made  at  the  very  last  moment ;  that  all  the 
commands  would  be  altered;  and  that  I  should  find 
myself  in  charge  of  a  certain  section  of  the  line.  I 
was  told  this  in  general  terms  more  than  a  week 
ago ;  and  everything  was  confirmed  to  me  in  detail 
on  Sunday  morning — twenty-four  hours  before  the 
change  was  announced  by  the  Colonel  of  the  regi- 
ment." 

"  'Fore  God,  Sir,  what  are  you  saying? "  cried  the 
Emperor  in  a  loud  voice.  He  had  turned  white  and 
was  pressing  his  hand  to  his  forehead  with  every  sign 
of  great  agitation.  "  Do  you  hear  this  ?  "  he  asked 
the  man  who  had  been  so  loud  in  accusing  me,  and 
who  himself  was  now  fighting  hard  for  self-posses- 
sion. 

I  had  struck  home  indeed 

A  dead  silence  followed,  lasting  more  than  a 
minute;  and  to  give  it  full  weight  I  affected  to  be 
unable  to  speak. 

"  I'm  not  surprised  such  a  tale  overcomes  him  in 
the  telling.  It  is  wild  enough  to  listen  to,  let  alone 
to  invent,"  said  the  Grand  Duke,  recovering  himself 
with  a  sneer. 


The  Truth  Out  at  Last          319 

"Proceed,  when  you  can,  Lieutenant,"  said  the 
Emperor,  shortly. 

"  I  have  nearly  finished,  Sir,"  I  answered  weakly. 
*  But  there  is  one  point  where  I  can  give  you  the 
highest  corroboration  of  the  key  to  all  this  seeming 
mystery.  Will  your  Majesty  send  for  Prince  Bilbas- 
soff?" 

The  Duke  started  as  I  mentioned  the  name  and 
glanced  keenly  at  me,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  in  much 
discomposure. 

"  I  was  told,  Sire,"  I  resumed,  when  the  Emperor 
had  complied  with  my  request,  "that  there  was 
one,  or  at  most  two  persons,  beside  your  Majesty  who 
knew  the  real  order  of  matters  for  yesterday;  and 
that  it  was  from  that  one,  or  from  one  of  those  two 
persons,  that  the  information  was  given  to  the  Nihil- 
ists which  formed  the  basis  of  this  plot.  I  did  not 
believe  it  possible,  Sire,  and  I  did  not  think  therefore 
that  any  attempt  could  be  made.  But  yesterday  morn- 
ing to  my  intense  astonishment,  I  found  myself  ap- 
pointed to  command  exactly  the  section  of  the  line 
of  which  I  had  been  told  by  the  Nihilists,  many 
hours,  indeed  days  in  advance." 

The  consternation  of  both  my  hearers  as  I  dwelt  on 
this  was  so  great  that  I  emphasised  it;  and  I  saw 
then  that  I  could  safely  slur  over  the  only  point  that 
I  really  feared  in  the  whole  story — the  episode  of  the 
five  men  whom  I  had  posted  in  accordance  with  the 
Nihilist  orders. 

I  had  struck  such  a  blow  at  the  Grand  Duke  that 
he  said  no  more ;  and  he  was  much  more  busy  think- 
ing of  how  to  defend  himself  than  of  how  to  accuse 
me. 

I  next  told  of  the  secret  mechanism ;  how  I  had  seen 
it  work;  how  it  proved  that  the  operator  must  have 


320  By  Right  of  Sword 

had  exact  knowledge  of  the  train  in  which  the  Em- 
peror would  travel,  and  then  how  I  had  sprung  on  the 
line  to  stop  the  train.  I  left  my  actions  after  that  to 
speak  for  themselves. 

The  impression  created  by  my  story  was  profound; 
due  of  course  to  the  terrible  and  daring  accusation  I 
had  levelled  at  the  man  who  had  accused  me. 

The  Emperor  remained  wrapped  in  deep  thought ; 
and  in  the  silence  that  followed,  Prince  Bilbassoff 
entered.  I  could  tell  by  the  quick  glance  he  gave 
round  the  room  and  particularly  at  me,  that  he  did 
not  at  all  like  the  look  of  matters.  He  had  heard 
something  of  the  facts  about  me,  and  I  believe  he 
thought  I  had  perhaps  denounced  him  in  the  matter  of 
the  proposed  duel  with  the  Grand  Duke. 

"  Lieutenant  Petrovitch  has  asked  for  you  to  be 
present,  Prince,  to  support  some  part  of  the  explana- 
tion he  has  given  of  certain  charges  brought  against 
him." 

"As  your  Majesty  pleases/'  replied  the  Prince 
bowing. 

The  Emperor  resumed  his  attitude  of  intense 
thought,  and  then  after  some  moments,  he  regarded 
me  with  a  heavy  frown  and  said  very  sternly  and 
harshly : 

"  The  story  you  tell  is  incredible,  sir.  It  is  a  mass 
of  contradictions.  You  say  the  Nihilists  attempted 
to  kill  you,  having  decreed  your  death ;  and  yet  that 
you  had  never  spoken  to  one  until  the  night  of  the 
attempt.  You  say  this  woman  whom  you  accuse  of 
the  murder  of  her  husband  did  this  horrible  deed  for 
your  sake  as  the  result  of  an  intrigue — and  yet  that 
you  had  never  seen  her  until  almost  the  very  hour 
when  she  sinned  thus  for  your  sake.  You  say  that 
you  listened  to  these  Nihilist  intrigues  in  the  belief 


The  Truth  Out  at  Last          321 

that  you  would  be  out  of  the  country — yet  you  hold 
and  have  held  for  years  a  commission  in  my  army. 
It  is  monstrous,  incredible,  impossible." 

"  There  is  another  contradiction  which  your  Ma- 
jesty has  forgotten,"  said  I  daringly.  "That  I,  being 
as  my  enemies  tell  your  Majesty,  a  Nihilist  of  the 
Nihilists  and  a  leader  among  them,  should  yet  have 
slain  three  of  them  with  my  own  hand  in  defence  of 
your  Majesty's  life  and  have  turned  the  sword  of  the 
fourth  into  my  own  body.  As  your  Majesty  said 
yesterday,  traitors  of  that  kind  should  rather  be  wel- 
come. But  if  your  Majesty  thinks  that  that  is  an 
additional  proof  of  my  guilt,  my  life  is  at  your  ser- 
vice still." 

He  looked  at  me  as  if  in  doubt  whether  to  rebuke 
me  for  this  daring  presumption,  or  to  admit  his  own 
doubt.  But  I  did  not  give  him  time  to  speak. 

"  I  have  deceived  your  Majesty,  however,  though  I 
wished  to  speak  openly  at  the  outset.  I  told  you 
there  was  a  key  to  all  this  of  a  most  extraordinary 
fashion.  There  is ;  and  I  throw  myself  humbly  on 
your  mercy,  Sire.  The  tales  you  have  been  told 
about  me  are  all  true  to  a  point,  and  false  afterwards. 
To  a  point  all  these  horrible  charges  against  Alexis 
Petrovitch  are  true;  but  what  I  have  told  you  is  true 
also.  The  key  is — that  I  have  only  been  Alexis  Pe- 
trovich  for  seven  weeks.  I  am  not  a  Russian,  Sire, 
but  an  Englishman ;  and  Prince  Bilbassoff  here  has 
within  the  last  few  hours  had  proof  of  this." 

"  An  Englishman !  "  exclaimed  the  Czar,  in  a  tone 
that  revealed  his  complete  bewilderment.  "  I  don't 
understand. " 

"  I  wish  to  tell  your  Majesty  everything,"  and  then 
I  told  him  almost  everything  as  I  have  set  it  down 
here. 


322  By  Right  of  Sword 

As  I  told  the  story,  ending  with  my  wish  to  be  al- 
lowed to  leave  the  country  at  once,  I  saw  his  interest 
deepening  and  quickening,  and  perceived  that  he  was 
coming  round  to  my  side.  He  listened  with  scarcely 
a  break  or  interruption,  and  at  the  close  remained 
thinking  most  earnestly. 

"  What  confirmation  have  you,  Prince  ?  " 

Prince  Bilbassoff  was  so  relieved  to  find  that  I  had 
said  nothing  indiscreet  about  him  that  he  spoke  in 
the  strongest  way  for  me. 

"  I  know  much  of  this  to  be  true,  your  Majesty.  I 
have  had  telegrams  from  England  confirming  Mr. 
Tregethner's  story;  and  there  is  now  in  Moscow  a 
certain  Hon.  Rupert  Balestier,  who  has  been  making 
the  most  energetic  inquiries  for  him;  and  —  the 
weirdest  of  all — the  wretched  woman,  Paula  Tueski, 
has  killed  herself  and  left  a  confession  of  her  crime." 

The  Emperor's  decision  was  taken  at  once. 

"  I  owe  you  deep  reparation,  Mr.  Tregethner.  I 
ought  to  have  trusted  my  instinct  and  my  eyesight, 
and  have  known  that  no  man  would  have  done  what 
you  did  yesterday  to  save  my  life,  and  be  anything 
but  my  firm  friend.  May  God  never  send  Russia  or 
me  a  greater  enemy  than  you.  May  you  never  lack 
as  firm  a  friend  as  I  will  be  to  you.  God  bless 
you  I " 

My  heart  was  too  full  for  speech,  and  I  could  only 
falter  out  the  words : 

"  I  would  die  for  your  Majesty.'* 

"  You  will  do  better  than  that — you  will  live  for 
me;  and  when  you  are  well,  we  will  speak  of  your 
future." 

With  that  he  turned  to  leave  the  room  and  said  to 
the  Grand  Duke  who  was  quite  broken  and  un- 
strung : — 


The  Truth  Out  at  Last          323 

"  Now,  we  will  find  that  strange  leakage.  * 
As  soon  as  they  had  left,  Prince  Bilbassoff  ques- 
tioned me  closely,  and  when  he  heard  about  the  ac- 
cusation I  had  by  inference  brought  against  the  man 
who  had  tried  to  ruin  me  and  had  so  nearly  succeeded, 
words  could  not  express  his  delight 


CHAPTER  XXX 

AFTERWARDS. 

IT  was  nearly  a  month  before  the  doctors  would  con- 
sent to  my  being  moved,  and  even  then  they  grudged 
their  permission.  All  the  time  I  lay  like  a  Royal 
Prince  in  the  Palace  with  all  the  world  ready  to  do 
my  lightest  wish.  Had  I  been  in  a  hospital,  I  be- 
lieve the  doctors  would  have  sent  me  packing  a  full 
fortnight  earlier;  but  wounds  heal  slowly  when  the 
State  has  to  pay  the  doctors'  fees. 

The  time  was  pleasant  enough,  however,  save  for 
one  thing.  I  was  full  of  anxiety  on  Olga's  account. 
Prince  Bilbassoff  brought  my  friend  Balestier  to  me 
and  he  stayed  all  the  time,  and  used  all  his  efforts  to 
find  some  trace  of  her  whereabouts.  The  Emperor, 
too,  promised  that  all  in  his  power  should  be  done  to 
find  her ;  and  whenever  I  saw  Prince  Bilbassoff  I  im- 
portuned him  also  on  the  same  quest ;  and  his  promises 
were  as  ripe  as  the  Czar's. 

She  was  not  found,  however,  and  I  fretted  and 
worried  until  Balestier  drove  home  the  conviction 
that  the  best  thing  I  could  do  was  to  hurry  and  get 
well,  and  then  set  out  to  search  for  her  myself. 
This  pacified  me,  and  I  did  all  that  was  possible  to 
help  the  doctors. 

But  this  failure  to  find  her  was  a  never-ending  sub- 
ject of  thought,  as  well  as  ov  somewhat  angry  satire 
when  the  opportunity  offered.  One  day  whea  the 


Afterwards  325 

Prince  came  I  rallied  him  strongly  on  the  matter, 
thinking  to  gibe  him  into  greater  activity. 

"Your  agents  are  poor  hounds,  Prince,"  I  said. 
"  They  bay  loudly  enough  on  the  trail,  but  they  don't 
find." 

"They  have  founH  the  brother,"  he  answered 
quietly.  "  And  the  girl  can't  be  far  off. " 

"  The  brother  be  hanged,"  cried  I. 

"  Not  by  the  Russian  hangman.  He  doesn't  mean 
to  return  here ;  but  he  has  dropped  your  name  and 
probably  by  this  time  has  left  Paris  altogether.  He 
knows  the  facts — or  some  of  them;  our  agent  told 
him  them,  and  he  means  to  put  as  great  a  distance  be- 
tween himself  and  Russia  as  the  limitations  of  the 
globe  will  permit. " 

"  He's  a  poor  creature.     How  was  he  found?  " 

"As  usual — a  woman." 

"  Well,  I  owe  him  no  grudge.  He  has  given  me  a 
better  part  than  I  ever  thought  to  play  in  life.  And 
a  good  wife  too — if  we  can  only  find  her." 

"  We  shall  find  her.  The  woman's  not  born  that 
can  hide  herself  from  us,  when  we  are  in  earnest." 

"  Well,  I  wish  you'd  be  thoroughly  in  earnest  now. 
If  you  were  only  as  much  in  earnest  as  you  were 
about  that  duel.  .  .  ." 

"  I  am ;  for  I  owe  you  more  than  if  you  had  fought 
the  duel. "  I  looked  at  him  in  some  astonishment. 
"  I  have  only  to-day  heard  the  definite  decision,"  he 
continued.  "  You  gave  me  the  clue,  and  I  did  not 
fail  to  follow  it  up.  You  say  my  men  are  not  sleuth 
hounds.  Give  them  a  blood  scent  like  that  and  try." 

"  All  of  which  is  unintelligible  to  me,"  I  replied, 
noting  with  surprise  his  excitement  and  exultation. 

"  Heavens,  lad,  I'm  more  sorry  than  ever  you're 
not  going  to  join  us.  And  now  that  that  hindrance 


326  By  Right  of  Sword 

is  out  of  the  path,  the  path  is  brighter  than  ever. 
What  fools  you  young  fellows  are  to  go  tumbling  into 
what  you  call  love,  and  playing  the  devil  with  a  career 
for  the  sake  of  muslin  and  silks  and  pretty  cheeks.  I 
suppose  .  .  ."  he  looked  questioningly,  and  waited  as 
if  for  me  to  speak. 

"Suppose  what?"  I  knew  what  he  meant  well 
enough,  but  liked  to  make  him  speak  out. 

"  That  you've  really  made  up  your  mind,  or  what- 
ever you  call  it,  not  to  stop  in  Russia  ?  " 

"  Absolutely.  I'm  going  to  commit  social  suicide 
and  marry  for  love — that  is,  if  I  can  only  find  my 
sweetheart ;  or  rather,  if  you  can  find  her  for  me. " 

"I  wish  I  couldn't,"  he  returned;  and  then  fear- 
ing I  should  misunderstand  him,  added: — "I  don't 
mean  that.  I  mean,  I'm  sorry  I'm  not  to  have  your 
help." 

•*  At  one  time  it  looked  as  though  you  were  going 
to  have  it  whether  I  would  or  no,  and  I'm  afraid  I 
may  have  misled  you  and — and  others  somewhat.  I'm 
sorry  for  this. " 

"  Save  your  vanity,  youngster/' he  said  with  a  short 
laugh,  understanding  me.  "  My  sister  is  no  love-sick 
maiden  with  her  head  full  of  a  silly  fancy  that  any 
one  man  is  necessary  to  her." 

I  flushed  a  little  at  the  rebuke;  and  bit  my  lip. 

"  We  wanted  you  for  Russia,  not  for  ourselves, "  he 
added,  after  a  pause.  "  You  have  already  done  the 
Empire  a  splendid  service;  and  that's  why  you're 
regretted.  Though,  mark  me,  I  don't  say,  now  that 
things  have  turned  out  as  they  have,  I  should  not 
have  been  a  bit  proud  of  you  as  a  member  of  my 
family." 

"What  service  do  you  meanf     Saving  my  own 


Afterwards  327 

"No.  Overthrowing  the  Grand  Duke.  He  is 
completely  broken.  No  trap  could  have  snared  him 
half  so  well.  It  has  now  come  out  that  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  troops  was  his  sole  work;  he  himself  ar- 
ranged the  very  order  of  the  trains ;  and  the  minute 
details  which  he  executed  were  known  to  him  alone. 
He  laid  his  plans  splendidly  for  his  infernal  purpose, 
and  had  you  been  the  man  he  anticipated — the  dare- 
devil who  had  killed  Tueski — nothing  could  have  saved 
the  Emperor's  life.  But  God  in  His  mercy  willed 
the  overthrow  of  as  clever  a  villain  as  was  ever 
shielded  by  high  rank.  That  particular  slip  no  man 
could  have  possibly  foreseen;  but  he  made  another 
which  surprised  me.  Only  a  little  thing,  but  enough. 
When  I  came  to  look  closely  into  the  business  I  found 
that  he  had  worked  out  in  the  greatest  detail  all  the 
arrangements  for  the  last  journey  and  the  disposition 
of  the  troops,  and  had  committed  them  to  paper  in  a 
number  of  sealed  orders.  These  he  dated  back  to  the 
previous  Saturday ;  but  only  gave  them  out  the  last 
thing  on  Sunday  night.  His  object  was  of  course 
that  when  inquiries  came  to  be  made  the  dates  on  the 
papers  should  tell  their  own  story  and  prove,  appar- 
ently, that,  as  they  had  been  given  out  on  the  Satur- 
day, there  would  have  been  plenty  of  time  for  it  to 
have  leaked  out  to  the  Nihilists  through  some  one  of 
the  many  officials  who  would  be  in  possession  of  it^ 
at  the  time  you  proved  it  was  known  to  the  Nihilists. 
On  that  supposition  there  were  a  hundred  channels 
through  which  it  would  have  got  out,  and  the  Duke 
would  have  been  only  one  among  many  in  a  position 
to  divulge  the  secret.  Like  a  fool  he  thus  drew  the 
coil  close  round  his  own  body ;  and  as  soon  as  the 
Emperor  knew  that,  my  men  made  a  search,  That 
did  the  rest  effectually." 


328  By  Right  of  Sword 

*  And  what  has  happened  to  him  ? " 

"  What  should  happen  to  such  a  man  ?  "  answered 
the  Prince,  sternly. 

"Death." 

"  Right.  But  the  Emperor  would  not.  He's  as 
soft  as  a  pudding.  The  man  is  imprisoned,  that's  all. 
For  life,  of  course.  But  rats  have  an  ugly  trick  of 
slipping  out  as  well  as  into  a  dungeon.  And  if  he 
ever  does  get  out,  boy,  you  will  have  one  enemy 
powerful  enough  to  make  even  you  cautious." 

"Keep  him  safe,  then,"  I  laughed.  "  For  when  I 
leave  Russia,  I  want  to  leave  all  this  behind  me." 

"  You  may  look  for  trouble  of  some  kind  from  the 
Nihilists,  however." 

"  They  are  not  taken  very  seriously  by  us  English, 
Prince,"  I  replied. 

"  Maybe ;  but  remember  you  have  been  a  Russian 
for  a  couple  of  months,  and  have  dealt  them  a  stroke 
that  they  will  never  forget. " 

He  left  me  soon  after  that,  but  I  did  not  pay  any 
serious  heed  to  his  warning.  I  pondered  his  news, 
however.  I  was  glad  that  Alexis  Petrovitch  had 
ceased  to  masquerade  in  my  name ;  but  I  could  not 
understand  how  it  was  that  if  the  Russian  agents 
could  so  easily  find  the  brother,  they  should  be 
baffled  in  their  search  for  Olga.  But  it  spurred  my 
anxiety  to  go  a-hunting  on  my  own  account ;  and  I 
was  heartily  glad  therefore,  when  the  doctors  agreed 
to  release  me,  and  my  marching  orders  for  St.  Peters- 
burg came. 

By  the  Emperor's  commands  I  was  taken  straight 
to  his  Palace ;  and  his  Majesty's  reception  could  not 
have  been  more  gracious  than  it  was. 

He  loaded  me  with  signs  of  his  favour;  with  his 
own  hands  pinned  to  my  breast  the  highest  Order  he 


Afterwards 

could  confer  on  a  foreigner ;  and  did  everything  ex- 
cept press  me  to  enter  his  service. 

"  Your  sojourn  in  Russia  is  associated  in  my  mind 
with  so  painful  and  terrible  an  event,  and  you  are 
personally  connected  with  it  so  closely,  that  in  my 
service  you  would  always  serve  to  keep  open  a  wound 
that  bleeds  at  the  mere  reference.  I  am  like  a  man 
who  has  given  unrestrainedly  the  kisses  of  love  and 
received  in  return  the  poison  of  the  asp.  Moreover, 
Prince  Bilbassoff  tells  me  that  you  have  made  up 
your  mind  to  go  to  your  own  country;  and  while  you 
will,  I  hope,  always  be  my  friend,  and  I,  with  God's 
help,  will  always  be  yours,  I  shall  not  seek  to  detain 
you." 

"  I  am  even  now  impatient  to  be  away,  your  Maj- 
esty," I  replied,  "  and  crave  your  leave  to  go  at  once. 
I  hope  to  leave  St.  Petersburg  immediately."  I  spoke 
with  the  eagerness  of  a  lover ;  and  his  reply  surprised, 
and  indeed,  dismayed  me. 

"  No,  Mr.  Tregethner,  that  I  cannot  suffer.  I  should 
feel  an  ingrate  if  I  permitted  you  to  leave  without  ac- 
cepting my  hospitality.  I  do  not  like  an  unwilling 
guest ;  but  for  a  fortnight  more  at  least  you  must  re- 
main here. " 

I  looked  at  him  quickly  in  my  amazement,  and  then 
with  a  bow  said : — 

"  Your  Majesty  has  promised  me  the  gracious  dis- 
tinction of  your  friendship ;  and  as  a  friend  I  appeal 
to  you  to  permit  me  to  be  your  guest  at  another  time. 
The  matter  I  have  in  hand  is  very  urgent. " 

"  I  am  not  accustomed  to  have  my  wishes  in  these 
matters  questioned,"  returned  the  Emperor;  and  at 
that  moment  I  wished  the  Imperial  friendship  at  the 
bottom  of  the  Baltic. 

It  meant  that  just  when  I  was  well  and  strong,  and 


330  By  Right  of  Sword 

in  every  way  able  to  start  on  the  task  that  was  more 
to  me  than  anything  else  on  earth,  I  had  to  cool  my 
heels  dangling  attendance  on  this  well  meaning  Im- 
perial Marplot  in  this  prison-palace  of  his.  But  I 
smothered  my  feelings  like  a  courtier  and  murmured 
an  assent — that  compliance  with  his  wishes  would  be 
a  pleasure. 

He  laughed,  and  then  in  a  most  un-Emperor-like 
manner  clapped  me  on  the  shoulder  and  said : — 

"  You'd  soon  learn  the  humbug  of  the  courtier, 
friend.  But  you  must  not  put  all  this  down  to  me. 
You  stay  by  the  special  desire  of  the  Prince  Bilbas- 
soff's  beautiful  but  rather  imperious  sister,  in  whose 
favour  you  stand  high — though  you  have  not  always 
treated  her  very  well,  it  seems.  She  has  now  a  great 
desire  for  some  more  of  your  company,  and  has  set 
her  heart  on  your  remaining  to  be  present  at  a  Court 
marriage  which  she  has  planned." 

"  I  shall  know  how  to  thank  the  Princess  when  I 
see  her,"  I  answered,  drily  enough  to  make  my  mean- 
ing clear;  for  the  Emperor  laughed  and  said  that 
might  be  true  and  that  the  Princess  was  even  now 
anxious  to  see  me  to  thank  me  for  past  services. 

My  gratitude  to  the  latter  may  be  imagined;  and 
when  the  Emperor  dismissed  me,  I  thought  of  the 
pleasure  it  would  afford  me  to  express  it  to  her. 

The  opportunity  came  at  once,  for  I  was  shewn 
straight  to  a  saloon  where  she  appeared  to  have  been 
awaiting  me. 

"  We  meet,  under  changed  circumstances,  Mr. 
Tregethner — my  inclination  to  call  you  Lieutenant  is 
almost  irresistible." 

"  His  Majesty  has  told  me,  Princess,  that  it  is  to 
you  I  owe  the  pleasure  of  being  compelled  to  stay 
here  at  the  present  time." 


Afterwards  331 

"  I  am  glad  to  have  been  able  to  secure  you  so  high 
a  mark  of  the  Imperial  favour, "  she  answered,  her 
eyes  laughing  at  me,  but  the  rest  of  her  features  seri- 
ous. "  I  am  always  glad  to  help  those  who  are  can- 
did and  frank  with  me." 

"  As  glad  as  you  are  to  be  candid  and  frank  with 
those  you  help,  Princess  ?  Is  there  another  duel  in 
prospect  ?  Or  more  wrongs  to  be  avenged  ?  In  con- 
nection with  this  marriage  I  hear  of,  for  instance  ?  " 

"A  fair  question,"  she  answered,  smiling.  She 
was  certainly  a  very  beautiful  woman  when  she 
smiled.  "  There  is — but  only  very  indirectly.  By 
the  way,  do  you  not  wonder  that  I  content  myself 
with  giving  you  no  more  than  a  fortnight's  imprison- 
ment ?  " 

"  If  you  knew  the  punishment  it  is  likely  to  be  to 
me  you  would  not  wish  to  inflict  a  heavier. " 

"  You  mean,  you  are  so  eager  to  be  searching  for 
this  girl  who  masqueraded  as  your  sister,  that  you 
cannot  spare  a  fortnight  for  the  Russian  Court.  Ex- 
cuse me ;  I  cannot  think  that  even  Englishmen  can 
be  so  impolite  and  phlegmatic." 

"  My  '  sister '  is  very  dear  to  me,  Princess,"  I  said, 
emphasising  the  word. 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  know  the  value  of  a  lover's  sighs  and 
a  lover's  vows  and  a  lover's  impatience  and  a  lover's 
constancy  and  a  lover's  everything  else.  And  you 
Englishmen  are  but  like  other  men  in  these  things." 

I  didn't  understand  her,  so  I  held  my  tongue. 

"  I  dare  believe  that  though  you  are  now  so  eager 
to  be  away  on  this  romantic  search  of  yours,  and  are 
fretting  and  fuming  at  the  delay  which  I  have  caused, 
so  that  you  may  have  the  opportunity  of  witnessing 
the  grandeur  of  the  Court  marriage  I  have  arranged, 
you  will  cool  in  your  ardour  long  before  the  fortnight 


332  By  Right  of  Sword 

is  out.  There  are  women  about  the  Russian  Court, 
Sir,  to  the  full  as  fair  and  witching  and  sweet  as 
Olga  Petrovitch. " 

"  I  have  the  evidence  of  that  before  my  eyes,  Prin- 
cess," I  said,  looking  at  her  and  bowing  to  hide  my 
chagrin  at  her  words. 

"  You  are  angry  that  I  hold  you  fickle.  You 
should  not  be,"  she  said,  with  a  swift  fiance  reading 
my  mood. 

"  I  have  confidence  in  my  faith. " 

"And  I  confidence  in  your  lack  of  it,*'  she  re- 
torted, with  a  touch  of  irritation  in  her  tone.  "  I 
dare  wager  heaviry  that  we  have  here  many  a  young 
girl  in  whose  smiles  the  fire  of  your  eagerness  to 
leave  Ruosia  in  this  search  would  be  quickly 
quenched.  ^Tay,  I  will  do  more,  for  I  love  a  chal- 
lenge, and  lo\  -  especially  to  see  a  man  who  vaunts 
himself  on  his  strength  of  purpose  and  strong  will 
and  fidelity  overthrown  and  proved  a  braggart — but 
perhaps  you  dare  not  be  put  to  a  test  ?  "  She  asked 
this  in  a  tone  that  made  every  fibre  of  purpose  in  my 
body  thrill  with  loyalty  to  Olga  in  reply  to  the  taunt. 

"  Name  your  test,"  I  answered,  shortly. 

"I  wager  you  that  I  will  find  one  among  my 
maidens  here  who  will  turn  you  from  your  purpose 
of  leaving  us;  lure  you  into  more  than  content  to 
abandon  your  search;  and  make  you  pour  into  her 
own  pretty  ears  a  confession  that  you  are  glad  I 
caused  you  to  dally  here — and  all  this  within  three 
days." 

"  It  is  not  possible,  Princess.  I  take  up  your  chal- 
lenge readily,  if  only  to  while  away  the  hanging 
time." 

She  looked  at  me  as  if  triumphantly. 

"You  dare  say  that?     Then  you  are  half  con- 


Afterwards  333 

quered  already.  Now  I  know  you  will What  is 

it  ?  "  she  broke  off  to  a  servant  who  came  in. 

Then  after  hearing  the  servant's  message,  she  made 
an  excuse  and  left  me. 

I  was  more  than  angry  with  her.  The  jest  which 
had  for  its  foundation  the  possibility  that  I  should 
change  in  half  a  week  and,  instead  of  fretting  and 
fuming  to  begin  my  search,  be  reconciled  to  this 
mummery  of  a  flirtation  with  some  Court  hack  or 
other,  annoyed  and  disturbed  me;  and  I  turned  away 
and  gazed  out  of  one  of  the  tall  bayed  windows  into 
the  wide  courtyard  below,  and  felt  ready  to  consign 
the  whole  world  to  destruction,  with  the  exception  of 
that  part  where  Olga  might  be  and  such  a  strip  as 
might  be  necessary  for  me  to  get  to  her. 

Against  the  Princess  I  was  particularly  enraged. 
To  hold  me  for  an  empty  whirligig  fool  to  turn  like  a 
magnetised  needle  in  any  direction  that  any  chance 
magnet  might  choose  to  draw  me!  Stop  contented- 
ly ?  Bosh !  Give  up  the  search  ?  Rot !  I  was  so 
angry  when  I  heard  her  come  back  into  the  room, 
that  I  affected  not  to  know  that  she  was  present. 
And  I  stared  resolutely  out  of  the  window  pretending 
to  be  vastly  interested  in  the  antics  of  a  couple  of  big 
young  hounds  that  were  gambolling  together.  I 
laughed  hugely,  and  uttered  a  few  exclamations  to 
myself  but  loud  enough  for  the  Princess  to  hear. 

The  Princess  took  it  very  coolly,  however.  She 
said  nothing,  and  for  a  couple  of  minutes  the  farce 
went  on. 

I  expected  a  tirade  at  my  rudeness ;  but  instead  I 
heard  the  frou-frou  of  her  dress  as  she  crossed  the 
room  toward  me. 

I  increased  my  affected  gestures  and  uttered  ex- 
clamations, and  had  a  mind  to  let  fly  an  oath,  just 


334  By  Right  °f  Sword 

a  little  one,  to  shock  her,  when  she  put  her  face  so 
close  to  mine  that  I  could  feel  its  warmth,  and  she 
whispered  right  into  my  ear : 

"  Bad  acting.     Too  self-conscious,  Alexis ! " 

The  Princess  had  won  easily.  I  surrendered  with« 
out  an  effort ;  gave  up  all  thought  of  the  search  and 
was  suddenly  filled  with  a  glad  content  to  stop.  For 
the  voice  was  Olga's,  and  the  merry  laugh  was  hers, 
and  the  blush  was  hers,  and  the  love  light  was  hers 
too;  and  the  next  moment  I  held  her  in  my  arms 
close  pressed  to  my  heart. 

The  Princess  had  indeed  won  anyhow,  and  in  much 
less  than  three  days ;  and  I  stopped  for  that  wedding 
with  all  the  delight  in  the  world — in  fact,  nothing 
could  have  induced  me  to  miss  it. 

For  the  bride  was  Olga,  and  the  bridegroom  myseli, 
'that  devil  Alexis  I" 


NEW  POPULAR  EDITIONS  OF 

MARY  JOHNSTON'S 
NOVELS 

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AUDREY 

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Agnts  Repplier. 

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No  Field   Collection    is  Complete 
Without  this   Book 

A    LITTLE    BOOK    of 
TRIBUNE     VERSE 

By  EUGENE  FIELD 

Compiled  and  edited  by  JOSEPH  G.  BROWN,  formerly 
city  editor  of  the  Denver  Tribune,  and  an  intimate  friend 
and  associate  of  the  poet  during  the  several  years  in  which 
he  was  on  the  staff  of  that  paper. 

'  This  volume  resurrects  a  literary  treasure  which  has 
been  buried  for  many  years  in  the  forgotten  files  of  a 
newspaper,  and  it  is,  as  nearly  as  it  has  been  possible  to 
make,  an  absolutely  complete  collection  of  the  hitherto 
unpublished  poems  of  the  gifted  author. 

These  poems  are  the  early  product  of  Field's  genius. 
They  breathe  the  spirit  of  Western  life  of  twenty  years  ago. 
The  reckless  cowboy,  the  bucking  broncho,  the  hardy 
miner,  the  English  tenderfoot,  the  coquettish  belle,  and  all 
the  foibles  and  extravagance*  of  Western  social  life,  are  de- 
picted with  a  naivete  and  satire,  tempered  with  sym- 
pathy and  pathos,  which  no  other  writer  could  imitate. 

The  book  contains  nearly  three  hundred  pages,  in- 
cluding an  interesting  and  valuable  introduction  by  the 
editor,  and  is  printed  from  new  type  on  fine  deckle  edge 
paper,  and  handsomely  bound  in  cloth,  with  gilt  tops. 

Retail  price,  75  cents 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP 

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I2mo,  cloth,  75  cents  each,  postpaid 

Books  that  make  the  nerves  tingle — romance   and  ad- 
venture of  the  best  type — wholesome   for  family  reading 


THE  PILLAR  OF  LIGHT 

««  Breathless  interest  is  a  hackneyed  phrase,  but  every 
reader  of  '  The  Pillar  of  Light  '  who  has  red  blood  in 
his  or  her  veins,  will  agree  that  the  trite  saying  applies  to 
the  attention  which  this  story  commands New  fork  Sun. 

THE  WINGS  OF  THE  MORNING 

"  Here  is  a  story  filled  with  the  swing  of  adventure. 
There  are  no  dragging  intervals  in  this  volume  :  from  the 
moment  of  their  landing  on  the  island  until  the  rescuing 
crew  find  them  there,  there  is  not  a  dull  moment  for  the 
young  people — nor  for  the  reader  either." — New  York 
Times. 

THE  KING  OF  DIAMONDS 

"  Verily,  Mr.  Tracy  is  a  prince  of  story-tellers.  His 
charm  is  a  little  hard  to  describe,  but  it  is  as  definite  as 
that  of  a  rainbow.  The  reader  is  carried  along  by  the 
robust  imagination  of  the  author. — San  Francisco  Exam- 
iner. 


GROSSET    &     DUN  LAP,    PUBLISHERS 
52   DUANE  STREET       ::       ::       NEW   YORK 


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